[ 108 ] 

 THE GREAT ANT-EATER*. 



The body of the Great Ant-eater is covered with 

 exceedingly coarse and shaggy hair. Its head is very 

 long and slender, and the mouth but just large 

 enough to admit its tongue, near two feet in length, 

 which is cylindrical, and lies folded double within 

 it. The tail is of an enormous size, covered with 

 long black hair, somewhat like that of a horse. 

 With this extraordinary member, when asleep 

 (which is generally in the day-time,) or during a 

 hard shower of rain, the animal covers itself in the 

 manner of a Squirrel ; at other times he trails it 

 along, and sweeps the ground -f. 



This creatute is a very bad walker, always resting 

 on the heel of its awkward long feet, but it is able 

 to climb vvith great ease. Though destitute of 

 teeth, and generally inclined to shun contention, 

 when it is attacked, and its passions become roused, 

 it is a fierce and dangerous adversary. If it can 

 once get its enemy within the grasp of its forepawg, 

 it fixes the claws into his sides, and both fldl toge- 

 ther ; and, as it frequently happens, both perish, 

 for the perseverance of the Ant-eater is so obstinate, 

 tiiat it will not extricate itself even from a dead 

 adversary. Such is its strength, that even the Pan- 

 thers of America are often unequal to it in combat ^. 



His food consists of Ants, which he takes in the 



* Synonyms. — ^lyrmccopliaga Jubata. Linn. — Taraandua-guacu. 



Marcgravc^-Tamanolr. Buf/oiu — Great Ant-cater. Penn. Shcnvs 



Gen. Zool. pi. 49. — Bc-Li\ Quad. ib{). 

 t Stcdman. % Pcxin. Quad. ii. 508. Gumilla Orcncq.ic, iii. 152. 



