3G6 HISTORY OI' 



diaiis take it, which is in this form, by laying it close to the fire, 

 they soon oblige the poor animal to unfold itself, and to face a 

 milder death to escape a more severe. 



This animal is a native only of America, for they were utterly 

 imknown before the discovery of that continent. It is an inof- 

 fensive harmless creature, unless it finds the way into a garden, 

 where it does a great deal of mischief, by eating the melons, the 

 potatoes, and other vegetables. Although a native of the warm- 

 est parts of America, yet it bears the cold of our climate with- 

 out any inconvenience. We have often seen them shown among 

 other wild beasts, which is a proof they are not difficult to be 

 brought over. Their motion seems to be a swift walk, but they 

 ciin neither run, leap, nor climb trees ; so that, if found in an 

 open place, they have no method of escaping from their pursuers. 

 Their only resource in such an extremity is to make towards 

 their hole as fast as they can ; or, if this be impracticable, to 

 make a new hole before the enemy arrives. For this they re- 

 quire but a very few moments' advantage ; the mole itself does 

 not burrow swifter than they can. For this purpose, they are 

 furnished with claws extremely large, strong, and crooked, and 

 usually four upon each foot. They are sometimes caught by 

 the tail as they are making their way into the earth ; but such 

 is their resistance, and so difficult is it to draw them backward, 

 that they leave their tail in the hand of their pursuer, and are 

 very well contented to save their lives with its loss. The pur- 

 suers, sensible of this, never drag the tail with all their force, 

 but hold it while another digs the ground about them, and thus 

 these animals are taken alive. The instant the armadillo per- 

 ceives itself in the power of its enemies, it has but one last re- 

 source, to roll itself up, and thus patiently wait whatever tor- 

 tures they think proper to inflict. The flesh of the smaller 

 kinds is said to be delicate eating ; so that we may suppose they 

 receive no mercy. For this reason they aie pursued with un- 

 ceasing industry ; and, although they burrow very deep in the 

 earth, there have been many expedients used to force them out. 

 The hunters sometimes contrive to till the hole with smoke, 

 which is often successful ; they at other times force it by pour- 

 ing in water. They also bring up a small kind of dogs to the 

 chase, that quickly overtake them, if at any distance from their 

 burrow, and oblige them to roll themselves up in a ball, in which 



