PANGOLINS. 



229 



young, which are one or two in number, are covered with soft scales at birth, but 

 it does not appear to be ascertained whether they are born blind. When inhabited, 

 the entrance to the burrow is stopped with earth; and it is rarely that its 

 occupants are seen abroad after sunrise. The food consists chiefly of termites ; the 

 pangolin tearing open the nests of these insects with its powerful front claws, and 

 thrusting its long glutinous tongue into their runs. The tongue is rapidly with- 

 drawn with a swarm of the white ants clinging to it. In captivity pangolins will 

 readily eat finely-chopped raw meat, hard-boiled eggs, and rice. Their stomachs 

 have a somewhat gizzard-like structure; and frequently contain a few small 

 pebbles, probably introduced to aid in triturating the food. In captivity pangolins 

 drink freely by rapidly extending and withdrawing the tongue ; but Mr. Blanford 



THE SHORT-TAILED PANGOLIN ( nat. size). 



doubts whether this habit is natural to them, as they are often found in places 

 where there is no water. When irritated, pangolins will give vent to a hissing 

 sound ; but at other times they are believed to be silent. 



African There are four African species of pangolin, all of which are 



Pangolins, characterised by the middle row of scales on the upper surface of the 

 tail bifurcating at a short distance from the tip. They are also distinguished by 

 the absence of any external conch to the ear, and the lack of any hairs growing 

 between the scales ; while in some of them the scales do not extend all the way 

 down the outer surfaces of the limbs. Of the four species, the long-tailed pangolin 

 (M. macrura) is easily recognised by the great length of its tail, which is nearly 

 twice as long as the body, and also by the absence of scales at the lower part of 

 the outer surface of the fore-limbs. A nearly allied form is the white-bellied 

 pangolin (M. tricuspis), distinguished by its larger and tricuspidate scales, and 



