i88 MAMMALIA— ORDER X.—EFFODIENTIA. 



decreasing in size from root to tip, and thus recalls a partially opened 

 telescope. In the fore-feet there are four long claws, of which the innermost 

 are the largest ; while in the five-clawed hind-feet the third is the longest 

 and the fourth and fifth the shortest. About 11 in. is the average 

 length of the head and body of the mulita, but another species is somewhat 

 larger. The mulita may be often found skulking among the tussocks of 

 pampas-grass during the daytime, when, with the aid of a dog, it can 

 generally be captured before it has time to make good its escape into its 

 burrow. Not unfrequently when a Gaucho captures a mulita he crops its 

 ears and turns it loose, such crop-eared specimens being at first rather a 

 puzzle to the naturalist. In spite of the circumstance that carrion forms a 

 considerable portion of the diet of these animals, roasted mulita is a favourite 

 dish in the Argentine. 



Quite different from the true armadillos are the beautiful little pichioiagos, 

 or fairy pink armadillos, of which one species (Ghlamydophorus truncatus) is 

 locally distributed over the sandy districts of Western Argentina, while the 

 second (G. retusa) is from the Bolivian highlands. From the armadillos 

 these tiny little creatures differ by having the upper surface of the head and 

 body covered by a continuous mantle, formed of quadrangular horny shields 

 underlain by thin bony plates, and gradually widening from the front of the 

 head to the hinder end of the body, where it is abruptly truncated. In the 

 Argentine species this mantle is attached to the body only along the line of 

 the backbone, its under surface being hairy; but in the Bolivian form (which 

 is referred by some writers to a separate genus, under the name of Bnr- 

 meisteria) it is joined to the skin throughout its whole extent. The 

 truncated hinder end of the body is protected by a solid bony shield with 

 overlying horny scales ; the short tail protruding through a notch in its 

 lower border. The whole of the rest of the body is covered with long silky 

 hair, which in the Argentine species is pure glistening white, while the 

 mantle is pinkish. The minute ears are completely concealed by this fur ; 

 and both fore and hind feet have five claws, the front toes being connected 

 to the base of the latter, while those of the hinder pair are free. In length 

 the Argentine species measures only about 5 in., but the Bolivian form 

 is somewhat larger. Pichioiagos inhabit sandy districts, where they excavate 

 burrows with marvellous rapidity ; and it is believed that the hinder shield 

 is used as a rammer to close the burrow when tenanted, the creatures 

 apparently making their exit by digging a fresh passage. 



ORDER X.—EFFODIENTIA. 



Aaed-Vakks and Pangolins. 



AiTHOtJGH, as stated above, the animals known as aard-varks and pangolins 

 are generally included among the Edentata, they have little in common with the 

 typical representatives of that order. Hence they are assigned to a distinct 

 ordinal group termed the Effodientia. That group is typified by the aard- 

 varks, and is only provisionally regarded as comprising the pangolins, 

 which are perhaps entitled to constitute an order by themselves. The 

 Effodientia resemble the Edentata in never having front teeth ; but differ 



