318 MAMMALIA. 



Its food consists of Ants, or rather Termites, insects which are 

 commonly designated by the name of "White Ants, on account of 

 their resemblance to very large specimens of the race. It is well 

 known that these Termites live enclosed in a mound of earth 

 in the form of a dome. The Aard-vark, squatting down by 

 the side of it, scratches tiU an entrance is effected through 

 the walls, and immediately legions of the insects rush out to 

 defend their habitation. Without losing a moment, the quadruped 

 darts out its tongue, which is covered with a viscous humour, 

 into the midst of the restless crowd, and then draws it back 

 covered with the victims. 



This exclusive description of food communicates to the flesh a 

 strongly acidulated taste, nevertheless the Hottentots and the 

 colonists at the Cape of Good Hope are partial to it, and hunt 

 these animals. A slight blow on the head with a stick is suiScient 

 to kill it. The Aard-vark is met with not only at the Cape of 

 Grood Hope, but also in Abj^ssinia and Senegambia. 



The Ant-eaters [Mynnecophaga, Linn.) feed upon a variety of 

 insects, and thus are better off than the last-named animal. It is 

 specially organised for procuring this food. Completely destitute 

 of teeth, the head is terminated by an elongated tube, which 

 encloses a very long and extensile tongue, something like a 

 worm, which issues forth through a small orifice placed at the 

 extremity of its scabbard-like head. This slender and flexible 

 tongue, being darted into the Ant-hills, all the interstices where 

 the insects take refuge yield numerous victims, which adhere 

 to it through the gummy secretion with which it is covered. To 

 conclude the description of the Ant-eaters, we must add that they 

 are armed with sharp claws, useful both as instruments for scratch- 

 ing and weapons of defence. 



The most remarkable species of the family is the Great Ant- 

 eater {Myrmecophaga jiihata), Fig. 125, the largest of the 

 family, and even of the Edentated Order. It attains to more 

 than a yard and a half in length, from the tip of its muzzle to the 

 junction of its tail. Its coat is rough, abundant, and of a darkish 

 colour. The tail, covered with very long and extremely bushy 

 hair, has the power of being raised like a plume, and is more 

 than a yard in length. The strength of this animal is so consider- 



