394 



THE TOOTHLESS ANIMALS. 



observed in Liberia: "Contrary to all accounts in 

 books, this animal runs very swiftly; so fast, indeed, 

 that a man can hardly overtake it, and during its 

 flight it from time to time stands erect upon its hind 

 legs and tail and looks around, letting its fore-legs 

 hang down." He also affirms that two other Afri- 

 can species are good runners and agile climbers. In 

 regard to one of the last named species, he says : 

 "It is easily tamed, and can be kept in a house for a 

 long time; it is generally permitted to range the 

 house at will, because it diligently pursues and de- 

 stroys Ants, Cockroaches and other insect nui- 

 sances. They are very agile animals and can climb 

 on the roofs of houses and in tree-tops in play." 

 The Pangolins With adequate care the Pangolins 



Readily Adapted can endure captivity for a long time. 



to Domestication. They readily become accustomed to 

 a diet of milk, bread and even grains, though insects 

 always remain their favorite food. The flesh is 

 eaten by the native Africans and is said to be sa- 



close upon each other and are thick and firm 

 enough to protect the animal from the claws and 

 teeth of other animals which attack it. The Leop- 

 ards pursue it incessantly and have no trouble in 

 overtaking it, as it runs much more slowly than 

 they. As neither claws nor teeth furnish it with 

 effectual arms against the formidable teeth and 

 claws of these beasts of prey, when it is overtaken 

 it rolls itself up into a ball and folds the tail against 

 the abdomen, bristling all around with the sharp 

 edges of the scales. The large Cats gently roll it 

 back and forth with their claws, but prick them- 

 selves when they handle it more roughly and are 

 compelled to leave it alone. The Negroes kill it 

 with sticks, skin it, sell the hide to white men, and 

 eat the flesh. Its snout might be compared to the 

 beak of a Duck. It possesses a very long, extensile 

 tongue covered with a viscid secretion; this it pro- 

 jects into the holes of Ant-hills or exposes in the 

 vicinity of the usual haunts of Ants; attracted by 



^^^fe.^,^^^^^^ 5 ^^ 



THE PANGOLIN. This is the typical animal giving its name to a family of queer armored creatures which are inhabitants of Asia and 



Africa. The species shown here is an inhabitant of India, Ceylon and the Malay country. It is strongly armored and admirably fitted for a bur- 

 rowing and insect-eating life. (Manis pentadactyla.) 



vory; the shields are used by several tribes as orna- 

 ments of various kinds. 



Characteristics of The Long - tailed Pangolin (Manis 

 the Long-tailed lo?tgicaudata) has a total length of 



Pangolin. three or four feet, nearly two-thirds 

 of which is occupied by the tail. The tail of 

 young animals is double the length of the body 

 and becomes shorter in proportion as the growth 

 of the body progresses. With the exception of the 

 inferior external face of the fore-legs, the scales 

 cover the whole upper and external surface of the 

 body and also the under surface of the tail; the 

 scaleless places are grown with stiff bristles. Face 

 and throat appear nearly naked. The scales are ex- 

 ceedingly firm and sharp-edged, and are largest on 

 the middle of the back of the animal. The general 

 color is blackish brown, with a reddish tint; the 

 individual scales are dark brown at the center of the 

 base, edged with yellow at the margins. The bristly 

 hair looks black. The animal is a native of western 

 Africa. 



Desmarchais' Desmarchais gives the first details 

 Account of this concerning its habits. " In Guinea 



Pangolin. one finds a four-footed animal in the 

 forest, which the Negroes call Quoggelo. From the 

 neck to the tip of the tail it is covered with scales, 

 which somewhat resemble in shape the leaves of 

 artichokes, only they are more pointed. They lie 



the odor of the secretion with which the tongue is 

 covered, the Ants rush towards it and adhere to it. 

 When the tongue is loaded with insects it is drawn 

 back into the mouth and the insects are eaten." 



The Pangolin The Pangolin (Mams pentadactyla) 

 Proper De- [the Malay name of which furnishes 

 scribed. th e popular designation of the en- 

 tire family, and which for distinction is sometimes 

 named the Five-fingered Pangolin] possesses a 

 short tail and its shield covers the outer face of the 

 fore-limbs, this peculiarity differentiating it from 

 some of the other species. The animal inhabits 

 India and Ceylon, apparently preferring a hilly 

 country, but is nowhere plentiful. Aelian, even in 

 his early day, mentions that there is an Indian ani- 

 mal which looks like a terrestrial crocodile. 



Distinguishing The Pangolin proper differs from 

 Characteristics of the other Manididae, excepting the 



the Pangolin. Temminck's Pangolin (Manis tetn- 

 minckii), by reason of its size and by having its 

 scales arranged in from eleven to thirteen rows; 

 they are very broad on the back and tail and never 

 externally exhibit the course of the spinal column 

 by the apex or ridge shown in most mammals. An 

 adult male may attain a length of four feet, the 

 body occupying about half of this. 



We know as yet very little about the habits of this 

 species. The animals dig burrows, which run ob- 



