EDENTATA. 501 



acters that they form three distinct families, also distinguished 

 by their geographical distribution. 



a. MyrmecophagidcE. This family is exclusively confined to 

 South America, as are the two preceding, and it contains only 

 the Hairy or true Ant-eaters. These curious animals feed 

 chiefly upon Ants and Termites, which they catch with their 

 long sticky tongues. The jaws are wholly destitute of teeth ; 

 the body is covered with hair ; there is a long tail ; and the 

 feet are armed with long and strong curved digging-claws. 



The best-known species of this family is the "Tamandua" 

 or Great Ant-eater (Myrmecophaga jubata). This singular 

 animal attains a length of over four feet, and has an extremely 

 long and bushy tail. The jaws are produced to form a long 

 and slender snout, which is entirely enclosed in the skin, till 

 just at its extremity, where there is an aperture for the protru- 

 sion of the thread-like tongue. The anterior feet have four, and 

 the posterior feet five toes, all armed with strong curved claws, 

 which, when not used in digging, are bent inwards, so that the 

 animal walks on the sides of the feet. The animal is perfectly 

 harmless and gentle when unmolested, and leads a solitary life. 

 It lives mainly upon Termites, into the nests of which it forces 

 its way by means of the powerful claws. When the Termites 

 rush out to see what is the matter, the Ant-eater thrusts out its 

 glutinous tongue, an action which can be repeated with mar- 

 vellous rapidity. 



b. Matilda. This family includes only the Scaly Ant-eaters 

 or Pangolins, all exclusively confined to the Old World, and 

 found in both Africa and Asia. The whole of the body in the 

 Manidcz is covered with an armour of horny imbricated plates, 

 overlapping like the tiles of a house, and apparently consisting 

 of agglutinated hairs. The legs are short, and furnished with 

 five toes each, ending in long and strong digging-claws ; but 

 there are no clavicles. The tongue resembles that of the 

 Hairy Ant-eaters in being long and contractile, and capable of 

 being exserted for a considerable distance beyond the mouth. 

 It is covered with a glutinous saliva, and is the agent by which 

 the animal catches ants and other insects. The jaws are 

 wholly destitute of teeth. When threatened by danger, the 

 Pangolins roll themselves up into a ball, like the hedgehogs. 

 The tail is comparatively long, and is covered with scales. 

 Though very strong for their size, none of the species attain a 

 length of more than three or four feet, inclusive of the tail. 



c. Orycteropida. The last family of the living Edentata is 

 that of the Oryderopida, comprising only the single genus 

 Orycteropus. This genus comprises only a single species, the 



