THE AARD VARK. 771 



stuck on the cut extremity. The remainder of the body is covered with long silken 

 hair, very like that of the mole in its soft texture. It is a very little creature, sea: 

 surpassing the common English mole in dimensions, and living, like that animal, al- 

 most entirely below the surface of the earth. Its feet are formed for burrowing, and 

 are most powerful instruments for that purpose, though they are not well fitted for 

 rapid progress over the ground. 



Its food consists, as far as is known, of worms, and other subterranean creatures, in 

 addition to those which it may catch in its nocturnal expeditions into the open air. 

 As is the case with the mole, and other subterranean animals, the eyes are of minute 

 dimensions, and are hidden under the soft and profuse fur of the face. 



The ANT-EATERS, as their name imports, feed very largely on ants, as well as on 

 termites and various other insects, their long flexible tongue acting as a hand for the 

 purpose of conveying food into the mouth. The- tongue of the Ant-eater, when pro- 

 truded to its fullest extent, bears some resemblance to a great red earth-worm, and as 

 it is employed in its food-collecting task, it coils and twists about as if it possessed a 

 separate vitality of its own. 



AARD VARK. Orycteropus Capensis. 



The AARD VARK, or Earth-hog, is a native of Southern Africa, and is a very curious 

 animal. The skin of the Aard Vark is not protected by scales or plates like those of 

 the manis and the armadillo, but rather thinly covered with coarse bristly hair. Its 

 length is about five feet, the tail being twenty inches long, and it is a very powerful 

 creature, especially in the fore-limbs, which are adapted for digging, and are furnished 

 with strong hoof-like claws at their extremities. These claws can be used with mar- 

 vellous rapidity and force, and are employed for the purpose of destroying the dwell- 

 ings of the ants on which the Aard Vark feeds, as well as for digging a burrow for its 

 own habitation. 



The burrows are not very deep, but are of tolerably large dimensions, and are often 

 used, when deserted, as extempore tombs, to save the friends of the deceased from the 

 trouble of digging a grave for their departed comrade. The creature makes its bur- 

 rows with marvellous rapidity, and can generally dig faster with its daws than a man 

 with a spade. 



The Aard Vark is a nocturnal animal, and can very seldom be seen during the day- 

 time. At night it issues from its burrow, and, making its way towards the ant-hills, 



