236 THE ANT-EATER, ETC 



feeds itself in a manner similar to that followed 

 by the ant-bear, gathering up the helpless, strug- 

 gling insects many at a time upon its long, sticky 

 tongue. It is perfectly harmless and, owing to 

 its nocturnal habits, but rarely seen. Ant-eaters 

 are furnished at the extremities of their short 

 limbs with powerful digging claws, and the 

 rapidity with which, upon inducement offering, 

 they can get underground must be seen to be 

 believed. 



The native witch-doctors, in some parts of 

 the country, utilise the scales of the ant-bear in 

 determining the innocence or guilt of persons 

 accused of the commission of serious offences. 

 Six of these scales and an equal number of fiat 

 shells are manipulated, and after much shuflfling, 

 division, redivision, and reunion are believed ac- 

 curately to exonerate or condemn the individual 

 appealing to them. 



In addition to the foregoing there are, spread 

 throughout the length and breadth of the country, 

 a number of other small animals of a more or less 

 insignificant character, such as the pole-cats, 

 squirrels, weasels, rats, mice, and moles, with a 

 description of which I have not considered it 

 either necessary or desirable to waste the reader's 

 time. They are really only interesting to the 

 naturalist or the man possessed of special know- 

 ledge, and to these this book is not particularly 

 addressed. 



Should a collection of these small forms be 

 desired, they must be trapped and carefully pre- 

 pared for preservation, and an application should 



