EDENTATA. 165 



sufficient to admit its taper snout. Here, having 

 ascertained that there is no danger of interruption, it 

 lies down, and inserting its long slender tongue into 

 the breach, entraps the ants, which, mounting on the 

 tongue of the Aard-vark, adhere to the glutinous 

 saliva, and are thus swallowed in vast numbers." 



Myrmecophaga,* the Ant-eater. 



The habits of the Aard-vark may be considered as 

 those of this genus ; which, however, comprises ani- 

 mals possessing even greater length of muzzle and 

 tongue, and utterly destitute of teeth. The claws 

 are large, strong, and trenchant, and with them it 

 is said the Great Ant-eater, (M. Jubata,) which is 

 more than four feet long, defends himself even 

 against the Jaguar. They .are all natives of South 

 America, and appear to be represented in the old 

 continent by the genus 



Mauls, the Pangolin. 



These are, like the last, destitute of teeth, have a 

 long, extensile, viscous tongue, and prey on ants ; 

 but they are clothed with large sharp-edged scales, 

 free at the edges, lapping over each other like tiles, 

 which being elevated when the animal rolls himself 

 in a ball for self-defence, present an array as formi- 

 dable as the spines of the Porcupine. There are two 

 species, inhabiting respectively India and Western 

 Africa. 



myrmcX) an ant, and ^diyu, phago, to eat. 



