THE ANT-EATER TRIBE. 10/ 



In its general appearance it is extremely uncouth. 

 The body is thick, the fore-legs short, the hinder 

 pnes far longer. The feet are very small, but arm- 

 ed with three excessively strong and large claws, 

 pf a curved form and sharp-pointed. The head is 

 small, and the face short and naked. The eyes 

 are small, black, and round. The hair on the top 

 of the head projects over, and gives to the animal 

 a very peculiar and grotesque physiognomy. Its 

 general colour is a greyish brown, and the hair is 

 long and coarse, covering the body particularly about 

 the back and thighs, very thickly *. 



The female produces one young one, which she 

 frequently carries on her back ^. 



THE ANT-EATER TRIBE. 



THE Ant-eaters, living entirely on insects, havo 

 no teeth. Their tongue, which is long, wormlike, 

 and covered with a kind of glutinous moisture, is the 

 only instrument by which they seize their food. 

 Instead of teeth they have, however, certain bones, 

 not unlike teeth, that are situated deep in the mouth, 

 near the entrance of the gullet. The mouths of the 

 whole tribe are lengthened into a somewhat tubular 

 form. The body is covered with hair |'. 



, ■ s 



f Shaw, i. IjO. t Buffon. % Liun. Gmel. i. 62, 



