WILD ANIMALS IN CAPTIVITY 



mashed up into pulp, and I have no doubt that she 

 would have inserted her long snout into a ripe melon 

 and eat out the contents. In fact, I very much doubt 

 the statements, made by the early writers, of the habits 

 and food of this singular animal, they being probably 

 deceived or misled by the woodpecker-like tongue of this 

 animal into the belief that it was intended for the capture 

 of small insects. For my own part, I have tried them with 

 the most tempting insect food at my command, namely, 

 mealworms, and have failed to get these creatures to eat 

 them, although the worm.s wore somotimes mixed with 

 milk and honey. 



When the animal was scratching and burrowing in the 

 earth I have seen him thrust his long nose suddenly into 

 the ground and draw forth a worm which he would eat, 

 but in no instance have I observed him allow his long and 

 delicate tongue to hang out in the dirt or remain protruflod 

 from his mouth for more than an instant, unless it was 

 thrust into some sweet and glutinous fluid that he was 

 engaged in licking up. 



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