S I R E N I A 341 



to obtain which it opens their nests with its powerful anterior claws, 

 and as the insects swarm to the damaged part of their dwelling, it 

 draws them into its mouth by means of its long, flexible, rapidly-mov- 

 ing tongue covered with glutinous saliva/' 8 Hansel is quoted as saying 

 that it does not feed on termites, but that in all specimens examined 

 the stomachs were filled with true ants, even where termite mounds 

 were common, while, on the other hand, Zeitz is said to have fed this 

 species in captivity with termites, and "ants were obstinately refused." 9 



FAMILY MANIDAE PANGOLINS OR SCALY ANTEATERS 



The scaly anteaters are found in India and Malayasia. Bequaert, in 

 discussing the suoject in detail and at length, says it appears "that the 

 pandolins, or scaly anteaters (Manidae) of the Old World tropics are 

 the only edentates whose myrmecophagous propensities are beyond 

 doubt." Stomachs examined contained several species of ants. 10 



FAMILY ORYCTEROPIDAE AARD VARK, ETC. 



The antbear (Orycteropus aethiopicus), of Somaliland, "lives en- 

 tirely on termites," according to Drake-Brockman. 11 The aard vark, 

 or earth pig (0. afer) "is inoffensive and of inestimable value in keep- 

 ing down the plague of ants and locusts. Like the anteater, it breaks 

 the ant heaps and takes the insects on its long, conical, viscid tongue." 

 Its burrow is "an ever-present danger to horsemen." 12 Bequaert says 

 it appears from an examination of the contents of stomachs of Oryc- 

 teropus, "that the regular food consists of termites, while true ants 

 are only taken when they happen to occur in the termite mounds." 13 



ORDER SIRENIA MANATEES, SEA-COWS AND DUGONGS 



These animals are of little or no economic importance. The Florida 

 Manatee (Trichecus latirostris) lives on manatee grass "and other 

 aquatic vegetation found in shallow lagoons and estuaries. 1 It has be- 



8 Flower and Lydekker, An introduction to the study of mammals, living and 

 extinct, p. 191, 1891 ; quoted by Bequaert. Bates, The naturalist on the River Ama- 

 zon, n, 178-179, 1863. 



* Bequaert, "The predacious enemies of ants," in Wheeler, Ants of the Belgian 

 Congo, Bull. Amer. Museum Nat. Hist., XLV, 317, 1922, citing Hansel, Zeitz, and 

 Flower and 'Lydekker. 



10 Bequaert, Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., XLV, 318-328, 1922. 



11 Drake-Brockman, The mammals of Somaliland, pp. 175-176, 1910. 



12 Jennison, Natural history: animals, p. 321, 1927. 



13 Bequaert, Bull. Amer. Museum Nat. Hist., XLV, 317, 1922. 



1 Hornaday, American natural history, n, 160, 1914. Anthony, Field book of North 

 American mammals, p. 555, 1928. Stone and Cram, American animals, p. 27, 1902. 



