184 NATURAL HISTORY. 



He moves suspended from the branch, he rests suspended 

 from the branch, and he sleeps suspended from the branch. 

 Hence his seemingly bungled composition is at once accounted 

 for." 



To render it fit for this singular mode of life, its long and 

 powerful arms are furnished with strong curved claws, which 

 hook round the branches, and keep the animal suspended 

 without any effort. When on the ground, these claws are 

 very inconvenient, and it can barely shuffle along ; but when 

 it is among its native branches, it moves with exceeding rapid- 

 ity, particularly in a gale of wind, when it passes from branch 

 to branch and from tree to tree with an activity which its move- 

 ments on the ground by no means portend. 



Family V. . . DASYFUX& (Gr. 

 Sub-family a. Manina. 



crvf, hairy; TTOVC, a foot. Hairy-footed.) 



Tetradactyla (Gr. TerpaSdnTvZoc, four-fingered), the Phatagin, or Long- 

 tailed Manis. 



The MANIOC or PANGOLINS are immediately known by the 

 peculiar, strong, horny plates with which their bodies are de- 

 fended, giving them the appearance of an animal enveloped in 

 a suit of scale armour. When attacked, they roll themselves 



