TEXAS NATURE OBSERVATIONS AND EEMINISOENCES. 181 



during the tertiar.y period, parts 

 of Mexico and Texas southward to 

 Patagonia, was inhabited by the 

 "glytodons," an enormous arma- 

 dillo, as large as a rhinoceros, 

 bony remnants of which have been 

 found abundantly in the bone 

 caves of Brazil. 



In some countries the natives 

 roast the armadillo flesh in its 

 shelly surroundings and thus pre- 

 pared it is considered a great deli- 

 cacy. Here in Texas, however, 



esting letter of inquiry about such 

 traits of the armadillo and also of 

 the ground squirrel. 



Some years aigo I had published 

 a separate article on this subject 

 stating it would be of general in- 

 terest to hear from hunters and 

 farmers, of any observances an- 

 ent such qualities of the armadillo 

 as well as the ground squirrel, 

 which latter, by the way seems to 

 multiply considerably of late 

 years, and are met with close to 



Captured Armadillo Trying to Escape in Chaparral — San Geronimo Regions 



the writer is quite sure the reader 

 would prefer a genuine Mexican 

 tamale for all the roasted armadil- 

 lo flesh. 



Of late date the armadillo, it 

 seems, has come into prominence 

 in connection with the destruction 

 of bird eggs, especially quail eggs, 

 and our friend, Profesosr Peacock, 

 of the Peacock Military Academy, 

 has written the writer an inter- 



towns where they can often be 

 seen along the main roads and 

 close to their underground holes. 

 Some such animals though, 

 are strictly herbivorous, and 

 occasionally, under provoked cir- 

 cumstances or preference become 

 omnivorous, feeding on any sub- 

 stances they can get hold of to 

 sustain life, the same as our prairie 

 rat, snakes, and a number of night- 



