MAMMALS OF SOUTH AMERICA. 91 



species of the edentates, including the sloths, armadilloes, 

 chlamydophore, and ant-eaters, are exclusively South 

 American. 



The sloths and ant-eaters belong to the Virgin Forest 

 region, and therefore belong to the Tropical World. As 

 for the armadillo, in its coat of mail, it is found on all 

 the open plains and table-lands as far south as Paraguay ; 

 with the exception of the tatou, or giant armadillo, three 

 feet long, which inhabits the dense woodlands of Brazil 

 and Guiana. 



Nearly akin to the armadilloes is the curious little 

 chlamydophore, called the pichiciago, a native of Chili, 

 which seems to form a link between the armadillo and the 

 mole. The top of its head, its back, and its hind-quarters 

 are covered with a shelly plate, which "stops short" on 

 the haunches with a singular effect : the rest of the body 

 is clothed in long, soft, and silky hair. It lives upon 

 worms and insects ; and, like the mole, lives almost entirely 

 underground. 



The ant-eater is larger than a Newfoundland dog. As 

 its name implies, it wages war against the ants ; and also, 

 we may add, against termites and insects generally. It is 

 found in the swampy savannas and damp forests— which 

 necessarily swarm with insect life — from the Atlantic to 

 the foot of the Andes, and from Columbia to Paraguay. 

 Its flesh has an odour of musk, but the Indians eat it. 



To the plains belongs the so-called American Lion, the 

 Puma. His total length is about six feet and a half, of 

 which the tail occupies about two feet. The tip of the 



