172 



NATURAL HISTORY. 



THE PANGOLINS, OR SCALY ANT-EATERS.* 



THE AFRICAN SCALY ANT-EATERS. 



An animal living in the same country, on the same kind of food, and having many of the habits 

 of the Cape Ant-eater, especially as it belongs to the same order of the animal kingdom, might be 

 expected to resemble it in. shape and in most of the important parts of its construction. But the 

 comparison between, the Ant-eater, just described, and the Scaly Ant-eater, shows that these animals 

 have some very remarkable differences. The Scaly Ant-eater is toothless, and covered with scales. 



Formerly, the Scaly Ant-eaters roamed far south in Africa, but now they are rare animals in. 

 South Africa, in the west of the continent, and across to Sennaar. They are found in Zanzibar, 

 and as far south as the latitude of Mozambique. They are small animals, of from two to nearly 

 five feet in length, with long tails ; and their body, limbs, and tail are covered with numerous large, 

 somewhat angular, and sharp-edged scales, as with armour. The scales overlap each other like 



TEMMIXCK S PANGOLIN. 



tiles, and the free part pointing backwards is bluntly angular or rounded at the tip. When the 

 animal is on its feet walking, they form a very close and impenetrable covering, being doubtless 

 of great use to the creature, for it must trust entirely to its defences, having no weapon of offence. 

 But when the Scaly Ant-eater is alarmed or threatened with danger, or positively attacked, it 

 rolls itself up like a ball, places the snout between the legs, and the tail underneath, and then 

 sticks up its scales, offering their sharp edges to the enemy. Thei-e are several kinds of them, and 

 one in particular was noticed by Dr. Smith, the African traveller, and was named after the zoologist 

 Teinminck, MAXIS TEMMINCKII. He observed that it was rarely seen, but that when it was discovered, 

 instead of burrowing, it did not attempt to escape, but rolled itself up instantly in the shape of a 

 ball, taking especial care of its head, which is the only part unarmoured and likely to be injured. 

 He states that Ants form its chief and favourite food, and that it secures them by extending its 

 projectable tongue into holes which may exist in the habitations of those insects, or which it may 

 itself form. The tongue having made an entry, it is soon covered with a multitude of insects, and as 

 it is well lubricated with saliva, they are held fast, and when a full load is ready, the retracting muscles 

 act on the tongue and the whole is carried back into the mouth, after which the Ants are swallowed. 

 The same traveller accounts for the scarcity of the Scaly Ant-eaters, partly from the disinclination of 

 the natives to discover them for sti'angers, and partly because they are environed with supernatural 



* Genus Man is. 



