318 DIVISION I. VERTEBRAL ANIMALS. — CLASS I. MAMMALLA. 



entire back raid tail, and wliicli constitutes their defensive armor. When 

 attacked, the armadillo will roll itself into a ball, thus presenting to its foe 

 nothing'' but an invulnerable surface of bone, and often, if on the summit of 

 a hill, will, in tiiis position, bowl itself down the declivity with considerable 

 rapidity. They are of various length. One described by Mr. Schomburgli 

 ■was three feet high, and five and a half feet long. The tail was sixteen 

 inches in length, and at the root as thick as a man's thigh ; the middle toe 

 of the five on the fore feet was seven and a half inches long, furnished with 

 claws capalile of rapid digging. They arc very fond of putrid flesh, and it 

 is said will dig into graves. There are several species — the !)((>:. iriciidus, 

 or three-banded armadillo ; the JM^:. sexciiictus, six-banded ; D((s. seplem- 

 ciiichi.'i, seven-banded ; iJas. nofcincinctHS, nine-banded ; TJ<i.-<. unicinctus, 

 twelve-banded; JJas. oclo-ilccimcuiclus, the eighteen-banded ; and Das. 

 (jiylas, or giant armadillo. This last weighs about seventy pounds, has a 

 long, tuberculous tail, and is armed with very large, strong, sharp claws. 



Cienus CuLA.Aiyriioia's. There is but one sj^ecies, a small animal of 

 Chili. 



Genus ]Myi:mecopiiaoa. — The Ant-eaters. These all belong to tropical 

 America. They are hard-skined, hairy animals, with lengthened forms, 

 long, tapering head and snout, and extensile tongues. Their long, cutting 

 claws serve as a defence, and also enable tliem to rend to pieces the nests 

 and hills of tiie ants on which they feed, and which they draw forth and 

 carry to the mouth with their long tongues. They are entirely toothless. 

 The smaller species have jirehensile tails, and " bearing only one young, are 

 in the habit of carrying it ou their own backs." 



J/i/rni. JiiLata. — The (Jreat Ant-eater. This is a powerfid animal, 

 about li\e feet iu length, with four toes on the fore, and five on the hind 

 feet. The hair is long, of a grayish color, with a wide, black band, edged 

 witli white, passing obliipiely from the breast upon the shcjulder. The most 

 remarkable appendage is the tail, which is long and brushy, and capable of 

 being spread out, like an umbrella, over the whole bodj', in which position 

 it often carries it. This animal, jiowerfully armed with long, trenchant 

 claus, has k\v enemies to fear in the South American forests. Even the 

 fierce jaguar hesitates to attack it, and when he does, the contest is terrible, 

 and the victory doubtful, as the jaguar is liable to have his bowels torn open 

 by a blow of the ant-eater's foot. 



31>/r/ii. Tctrad((cti^/Ia. — The Three-toed Ant-eater. This is a much 

 smaller animal, dwells in trees, and appears to vary in color, from sooty 

 black to a dull white. 



Genus Manis. — The ]\Iauis. These are long, slender, long-tailed 

 animals, destitute of teetli, and covered with several rows of broad, horny 



