230 WANDEEINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA. 



the sand to catch the end of it : this done, he puts it 

 farther into the hole, and digs anotlier pit, and so on, till 

 at last he comes up with the armadillo, which had been 

 making itself a passage in the sand till it had exhausted 

 all its strength through pure exertion. I have been some- 

 times three cxuaiters of a day in digging out one armadillo, 

 and oliliged to sink half a dozen pits, seven feet deep, 

 before I got up to it. The Indians and negroes are very 

 fond of the Hesli, but I considered it strong and rank. 



On laying hold of the armadillo you must be cautious 

 not to come in contact wdth his feet : they are armed with 

 sharp claws, and v;ith them he will inflict a severe wound 

 in self-defence : when not molested, he is very harmless 

 and innocent ; he would put you in mind of the hare in 

 Gay's fables, — 



""Wliose care was never to offend, 

 And every creature was her friend." 



The armadillo swims well in time of need, but does not 

 go into the water by choice. He is very seldom seen 

 abroad during the day ; and when surprised, he is sure to 

 be near the mouth of his hole. Every part of the arma- 

 dillo is well T)rotected by his shell, except his ears. In 

 life, this shell is very limber, so that the animal is enabled 

 to go at full stretch, or roll himself up into a ball, as 

 occasion may require. 



On inspecting the arrangement of the shell, it puts you 

 very much in mind of a coat of armour ; indeed it is a 

 natural coat of armour to the armadillo, and being com- 

 posed both of scale and bone, it affords ample security, and 

 has a pleasing effect. 



Often, when roving in the wilds, I would fall in with 

 the Land Tortoise ; he too adds another to the list of un- 

 offending animals ; he subsists on the fallen fruits of the 

 forest. When an enemy approaches he never thinks of 



