Myrmecophagidje.- 



-MAMMALIA.- 



-Myrmecopiiagid-e. 



147 



THE SHOKT-TAILED PANGOLIN {Mam's pcnta- 

 dactijla), or Badgareit, is also kno\Tii as tlio Broad- 

 tailed Maiiis, and is supposed to be the Phattagen 

 described by ^Elian. It is an iidiabitant of the conti- 

 nent of India and Ceylon, and is the largest species at 

 present living. In the interior of Hindostan the natives 

 apply to it a number of curious names : thus, in the 

 Deecan, it is termed the " tiled-cat ;" elsewhere it is 

 called the " land-carp ;" and in Ceylon tlie " negumbo 

 devil." The body approaches four feet in length, 

 including the tail, which is not quite so long as the 

 body and head together. Although this animal is 

 very valuable as a destroyer of white ants and their 

 huge nests, it would appear from the observations of 

 travellers that the Badgareits are frequently subjected 

 to mere wanton cruelty on the part of the Asiatic 

 natives. 



THE LONG-TAILED PANGOLIN (Manis tdradadyla) 

 — Plate 17, fig. 58 — is so named on account of the 

 extraordinary development of the caudal extremity. It 

 is a small animal, about three feet in length at the most; 

 but the tail is twice as long as the body, and contains 

 no less tlian forty-seven vertebral segments, while in 

 the animal above described there are only twenty-six 

 of these bones. This species, the scales of which are 

 black, and )'ellow at tlie margins, is a native of the 

 coast of Guinea. 



THE MANY SHIELDED PANGOLIN {Manis multi- 

 scuhita), or Piiatagin, has been thus named by Dr. 

 J. E. Gray, from the circumstance tliat the horny 

 scales forming its dermal armature are disposed in rows 

 varying from nineteen to twentj'-one in nmnber; whereas 

 in the two species above noticed, there are only eleven 

 rows. This species, the scales of which are small, of 

 a yellowish-grey coloiu', and three-pointed posteriorly, 

 is also a native of the coast of Guinea. 



TEMMINCK'S PANGOLIN {Manis Temmincki) is a 

 native of Southern Africa, being found to the north of 

 Cape Colony, in the neighbourhood of Mozambique, 

 and also in Sennaar. The body is rather more than 

 two feet in length, including the tail, which measures 

 about a foot. The scales are disposed in eleven rows, 

 the last foiu: rows having only four scutes in each, while 

 those of the anterior series have five. It is a scarce 

 animal, its almost total extmction having been brought 

 about by a prevailing superstition among tlie natives 

 that it has some evil effect upon cattle. Accordingly, 

 when tliey catch any unfortunate Pangolin, they biun 

 it ahve as an oflering to the deity, in the hope that 

 some advantage may accnie to their flocks ! It is, 

 however, a poor harmless little beast, feeding, lUce its 

 congeners, principally upon ants. 



Family II.— MYRMECOPHAGID^. 



Under this head are brought together the Ant-eaters 

 properly so called. They are distinguished from tlie 

 pangolms liy the substitution of an abundant hairy fur 

 in place of the scaly covering above described. None 

 of the t}7iical Ant-eaters display any organs of denti- 

 tion ; but in tlie aberrant genus Orycterojms, we find in 

 yoiuig individuals upwards of twenty molars. Usually 

 also the ears are short, roimded, and feebly developed ; 



but in the particular genus referred to tliey are long 

 and sharply pointed. The tail is of considerable 

 length in all the species. Another peculiarity of great 

 interest has reference to the feet ; for here we notice 

 in the fore-limbs that the ultimate phalanges of tlio 

 toes, which support the claws, are so constructed as to 

 allow the movements of the latter being restricted to 

 flexion inwards ; and in order to maintain this position, 

 there are powerful ligaments which keep tlie phalanges 

 directed towards the palm, and never allow the digits 

 to be stretched out in the manner of tlie plantigrade 

 camivora. The relative size and strength of tlie toes 

 is also very significant, botli in this family and in tlie 

 preceding; in those which have five toes tlie central 

 digit attains an enormous bulk, while tlie outer pair 

 are comparatively small. In order, moreover, to afford 

 adequate power for the digging and buiTowing propen- 

 sities of these animals, the phalanges are all closely 

 connected together up to the base of the ultimate 

 phalanx, converting the hand into a sort of trowel 

 similar to that found in moles. From what has been 

 advanced, therefore, it will readily be remarked, that 

 the Ant-eaters do not walk on the soles of their feet ; 

 neither do they tread on their strongly-curved toes, 

 which would damage the claws, but, in the fore-feet 

 at least — as may be seen by referring to the dra\ving 

 of the Great Ant-eater given in Plate 17, fig. 57 — 

 the anterior part of the body is seen to rest entirely 

 upon their outer edge ; and tliat part of the hands thus 

 subjected, as it were, to an miusual pressure, is in thesj 

 creatures supphed with an efficient callous pad to 

 protect tlie outer phalanges from injury. Another 

 circumstance in the organization of these creatures 

 which has especial claim upon our attention, is the 

 remarkable development of the anterior part of the 

 head, and the more than coextensive elongation of tlie 

 tongue. In the tj'pical species this organ is roimded, 

 and marked by annulations which indicate the several 

 muscular rings entering into its composition ; but in 

 the aberrant genus pre\'iously alluded to, the lingual 

 organ assimies a flattened form : in the tjqiical species 

 it can be extended to nearly twice the length of the 

 head. Such, m brief, are the leading characteristics 

 of tills singidar famOy; all of them pointing to their 

 insectivorous habits, and demonstrating a special design 

 in their construction and adaptability to the mode of Hfe 

 tliey lead. Having torn open the habitations of ants and 

 other nest-buUdmg insects, the swamimg myriads issue 

 forth to give battle to the imceremonious intruder ; tlio 

 slimy and extensile organ is immediately presented to 

 the astonished crowd, who, collecting on the glutinous 

 appendage, are, within less tlian a second of time, drawn 

 within the capacious maw of the keen and small-eyed 

 myrmecophaga ! The tjqiical species seem, m South 

 America — where they alone occur — to represent the 

 scaly pangolins of Asia and Africa; but the singlo 

 aberrant genus Orycleropus is a native of tlie last-named 

 continent. 



THE GREAT ANT-EATEB {Myrmecophaga juhata) — 

 Plate 17, fig. 57 — is a native of Brazil, Surinam, 

 Columbia, Paraguay, and, in short, of all tlie tropical 

 districts of South America. By the EngUsli and Spanish 

 colonists it is known as the Ant-bear ; but one would 



