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THE AARD VARK. 



as if the creature had been chopped short by the blow of a hatchet, and a piece of shell stuck 

 on the cut extremity. The remainder of the body is covered with long silken hair, very like 

 that of the mole in its soft texture. It is a very little creature, scarcely surpassing the 

 common mole in dimensions, and living, like that animal, almost entirely below the surface of 

 the earth. Its feet are formed for burrowing, and are most powerful intruments for that 

 purpose, though they are not well fitted for rapid progress over the ground. 



Its food consists, as far as is known, of worms, and other subterranean creatures, in addi- 

 tion to those which it may catch in its nocturnal expeditions into the open air. As is the case 

 with the mole, and other subterranean animals, the eyes are of minute dimensions, and are 

 hidden under the soft and profuse fur of the face. 



Family ClamydophoridcE has representatives of two genera. The Chlamydophorus is 

 an extraordinary looking creature. It is somewhat like the armadillo, but the shell, instead 



AARD VARK. — Orycteropus capensis. 



of being of the graceful oval convex pattern, resembles the top of a Virginia baggage-wagon — 

 its rear end being abruptly truncated. It is regarded as nearer allied to the Megatherium 

 than to any living species. 



Another species was discovered by Burmeister ; its size being only that of a common rat. 



The Ant-eaters, as their name imports, feed very largely on ants, as well as on termites 

 and various other insects, their long flexible tongue acting as a hand for the purpose of con- 

 veying food into the mouth. The tongue of the Ant-eater, when protruded to its fullest 

 extent, bears some resemblance to a great red earth-worm, and as it is employed in its food- 

 collecting task, it coils and twists about as if it possessed a separate vitality of its own. 



The Aard Vark, or Earth-hog, is a native of Southern Africa, and is a very curious 

 animal. The skin of the Aard Vark is not protected by scales or plates like those of the manis 

 and the armadillo, but rather thinly covered with coarse bristly hair. Its length is about five 



