EDENTATA. 51 



under a branch. In grasping a branch, the fore-finger of the 

 hmder foot, or hand, goes with the thumb, like a parrot's foot. 

 This arrangement of the fingers is very discernible in fresh 

 specimens, but in the dried limb it does not appear. 



Order Edentata. 

 Fam. Manilla. 

 Gen. Manis. 



Manis Javanica (?). 

 Pengoling (Malay name). 



Covered with scales, except the lower parts of the head, the throat, 

 the belly, and the inner sides of the legs, which parts are thinly 

 covered Avith scattered brownish yellow hairs ; a few bristly hairs 

 also appear here and there projecting beyond the scales. 



There are 15 rows of scales on the body, and 29 marginal scales 

 on the tail. 



The scales on the back are large, rather rounded, and broad at 

 the tip, they are striated at the base, and smooth at the end. The 

 scales below the body are narrower and more pointed, they are also 

 striated and carinated. 



Length from tip of the nose to the end of the tail, 2 feet 3 inches. 

 „ of the tail, 11 inches. 



Breadth of the under surface of the tail at the base, 2 inches 10 

 lines. 



Length from ear to tip of nose, 2^ inches. 



„ nose to eye, barely 1 inch 7 lines. 



„ eye to ear, 9 lines. 



The eyes are placed below the line of the scales on the head at 

 about the distance of 3 lines. 



The Malay name " Pengoling " signifies an animal rolling 



itself up, which this creature occasionally does, presenting only 



its impenetrable scales. It inhabits hollow trees, and feeds on 



ants alone, of which its stomach contains thousands ; it is a 



slow-moving animal, but very strong, and by means of its 



powerful prehensile tail, which is furnished with a little naked 



callosity, climbs tolerably well among rocks and dead trees ; 



the tongue is excessively long, round, and fleshy, and is used 



to obtain its food by being laid across the tracks of ants, which 



stick to a glutinous secretion with which it is provided ; its 



favourite prey is said to be a black species of Termes, which is 



the chief agent in destroying dead-wood in Labuan, and whose 



colonies are extraordinarily numerous. The individual from 



■& 2 



