MAMMALIA—ANT EATER. 271 
Indians know to a certainty that the armadillo is in it; whenever there are 
no musquitoes in the hole, there is no armadillo.” 
These animals are fat, and very prolific; the female brings forth, as it 1s 
reported, four young cnes every month, which makes their species very 
numerous. They are good to eat, and are easily taken with snares laid for 
them on the banks of the rivers, and in the marshy grounds, which they 
inhabit in preference. It is pretended, that they are not afraid of the bite 
of the rattlesnake; it is likewise pretended, that they live in peace with 
these reptiles, which are often found in their holes. The savages apply 
their scales to different purposes, and make of them baskets, boxes, and 
other small vessels light and solid. The armadillo is only found in South 
America. 
/ 
THE TAMANOIR, DEY TAMAND DOA ween D THE 
POUR MI DEBE Ry OR) AN aA ea. 
Soutn America produces three species of animals, with a long snout, a 
small mouth, and no teeth; their tongues, of a round form, are remarkably 
long; with which they catch the ants, which are their principal food. On 
coming to an ant hill, the animal scratches it up with his claws, and then 
protrudes his slender tongue, which has the appearance of an exceedingly 
long earth-worm. It is covered with a viscous saliva. To this the ants 
adhere, and, by retracting it, he swallows thousands of them. He also 
tears up the nests of woodlice, and often climbs the trees in pursuit of thém, 
and of the wild bees and their honey. The first of these ant-eaters is that 
which the Brazilians call tamandua guacu, or great tamandua, to whom the 
French settled in America have given the name of tamanoir. The English 
call it 
THE GREAT. AON T=) ale Beka 
Tuts animal is about four feet in length from the extremity of the snout 
to the origin of the tail; his head is fourteen or fiften inches long, his snout 
stretches out to a great length; his tail, two feet and a half long, is covered 
with rough hair, which is more than a foot in length; his neck is short; 
his head narrow; his eyes black and small; his ears round; his tongue - 
thin, more than two feet long, which he folds again in his mouth, after he 
draws it entirely out. His legs are but one foot high; the fore legs area 
little higher and more slender than those behind; he has round feet; the 
1 Myrmecophaga jubata, Lin. Animals of the genus Myrmecophaga are utterly tooth- 
less; they have the head elongated; muzzle tapering toa point; tongue long, protractile; 
toes united, four before and five behind, or two before and four behind, armed with strong 
uails ; two pectoral and two ventral mamme; tail long; sometimes prehensile. 
4 
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