ORDER EDENTATA. 259 



The Orycterope of the Cape (Myrmecophaga Capensis, 

 Pall.), Buff. Supp. VI. xxxi. 



Which the Dutch of that colony name the 

 Ground Hog. It is an animal about the size of 

 a Badger ; low on the legs, with scanty hair, 

 brownish gray ; with the tail shorter than the 

 body, and equally scanty of hairs ; it has four 

 toes before, and five behind. It inhabits bur- 

 rows, which it digs with extreme ease. Its 

 flesh is eaten. 



The other Common Edentata have no cheek- 

 teeth, and, consequently, are totally without teeth : 

 there are two genera of them. 



The Ant-eaters (Myrmecophaga, L.) 



Are villose animals, with a long muzzle, terminated 

 by a small toothless mouth ; whence is protruded 

 a filiform tongue, capable of considerable extension, 

 and which the animals thrust into the Ant heaps 

 and the nests of Termites, whence they draw these 

 insects by means of the viscous saliva with which 

 the tongue is furnished; their nails on the fore- 

 feet, strong and trenchant, and which vary in num- 

 ber, according to the species, serve to tear the 

 nests of the Termites, and furnish the animal with 

 a good defence. In a state of repose, these nails 

 remain constantly half bent inward, like a callosity 

 of the foot ; hence the animal only brings the side of 

 the foot to the ground. The stomach of the Ant- 



