THE BAJJERKE1T. 



i* .") ^ 



of the Manis, but as it always takes care to hide its head within the curve of the body, it has 

 little fears on that score. 



The fore-claws of the Phatagin are very large, and are employed for the purpose of tearing 

 down the nests of the termite, or white-ant, as it is more popularly called, so as to enable it 

 to feed upon the inmates, as they run about in confusion at the destruction of their premises. 

 Ants, termites, and various insects are the favorite food of the Phatagin, which sweeps them 

 up by means of its long and extensile tongue, caring nothing for their formidable jaws, which 

 are powerful enough to drive a human being almost distracted with pain. The claws are not 

 only employed in destroying the nest of the termite, but in digging burrows for its own resi- 

 dence, a task for which they are well adapted by reason of their great size and strength, and 

 the vigor of the limbs to which they are attached. As the limbs are short, and the claws very 

 long, the pace of the Phatagin is very slow, and its tardiness is increased by the fact that the 

 claws of the fore-feet are folded upon a thick, fleshy pad, and are therefore not at all adapted 

 for locomotion. 



PHATAGIN.— Maids loiigicaudata. 



The Phatagin is a native of Western Africa, and is of considerable dimensions, reaching 

 five feet in average length, of which the tail occupies three feet. From the great length of 

 the tail, it is sometimes called the Long-tailed Manis. 



The Bajjerkeit, or Short-tailed Manis, is a native of various parts of India, and is 

 also found in Ceylon. Of this species Sir Emerson Tennent gives the following short 

 account. "Of the Edentates, the only example in Ceylon is the scaly ant-eater, called by 

 the Singalese, Caballaya, but usually known by its Malay name of Pengolin, a word indica- 

 tive of its faculty of ' rolling itself up ' into a compact ball, by bending its head towards its 

 stomach, arching its back into a circle, and securing all by a powerful hold of its mail-covered 

 tail. When at liberty, they burrow in the dry ground to a depth of seven or eight feet, where 

 they reside in pairs, and produce annually two or three young. 



' ' Of two specimens which I kept alive at different times, one from the vicinity of Kandy, 

 about two feet in length, was a gentle and affectionate creature, which, after wandering over 

 the house in search of ants, would attract attention to its wants by climbing up my knee, lay- 

 ing hold of my leg by its prehensile tail. The other, more than double that length, was 

 caught in the jungle near Chilaw, and brought to me in Colombo. I had always understood 

 that the Pengolin was unable to climb trees, but the one last mentioned frequently ascended a 

 tree in my garden in search of ants, and this it effected by means of its hooked feet, aided 

 by an oblique grasp of the tail. The ants it seized by extending its round and glutinous 

 tongue along their tracks. Generally speaking, they were quiet during the day, and grew 

 restless as evening and night approached." 



