CLASS I. MAMMALIA: ORDER 8. EDENTATA. 



471 



exposure to the rays of a powerful tropical sun, they become so hard and indurated on the outer 

 surface that they easily support the weight of three or four men, and even a loaded wagon will 

 sometimes pass over without crushing them. Internally, these mounds are of a spongy structure, 

 something resembling a honeycomb, and are so completely saturated with animal oil that they 

 inflame without difficulty, and are an excellent substitute for wood or coal. 



Wherever ant-hills abound the Aard-vark is sure to be found at no great distance. He con- 

 structs a deep burrow in the immediate vicinity of his food, and changes his residence only after 

 he has exhausted his resources. The facility with which he burrows beneath the surface of the 

 earth is said to be almost inconceivable. His feet and claws are admirably adapted to this pur- 

 pose, and travelers inform us that it is quite impracticable to dig him out, as he can in a few min- 

 utes bury himself at a depth far beyond the reach of his pursuers; and further, that his strength 

 is so great as to require the united efforts of two or three men to drag him from his hole. When 

 fairly caught, however, he is by no means retentive of life, but is easily dispatched by a slight 

 blow over the snout. 



The Aard-vark is an extremely timid and harmless animal, seldom removes to any great distance 

 from his burrow, being slow of foot and a bad runner, and is never by any chance found abroad 

 during the daytime. On the approach of night he sallies forth in search of food, and repairing 

 to the nearest inhabited ant-hill, scratches a hole in the side of it just sufficient to admit his long 

 snout. Here, after having previously ascertained that there is no danger of interruption, he lies 

 down, and inserting his long slender tongue into the breach, entraps the ants, which fly to defend 

 their dwellings upon the first alarm, and mounting upon the tongue of the Aard-vark, get en- 

 tangled in the glutinous saliva, and are swallowed by scores at a time. If uninterrupted, he 

 continues this process till he has satisfied his appetite ; but on the slightest alarm he makes a 

 precipitate retreat, and seeks security at the bottom of his subterranean dwelling. Hence it is 

 that these animals are seldom seen even in those parts of the country where they are most com- 

 mon. It often becomes very fat, and is much relished as food. 



THE TAMANOIR, OR GREAT ANT-EATER. 



THE MYKMECOPHAGIDES. 



This family comprises the South American Ant-Eaters, of which there are several genera. 



