THE AARD VARK OR EARTH HOG 



The Ant Bear excavates its burrow with its 

 powerful front claws. The loose earth is thrown 

 out behind by a scooping movement of the hind- 

 feet. The bones of the legs are immensely stout, 

 and their muscle and sinew attachments denote 

 tremendous strength and endurance, as is in reality 

 the case, for an adult Ant Bear will dig a hole on 

 the hard veld and disappear from sight in a pheno- 

 menally short time. 



So great is their endurance, and so rapidly do 

 they burrow, that a gang of men working with 

 pick and shovel consider themselves fortunate if 

 they succeed in overtaking and digging out an Ant 

 Bear. The usual plan is to estimate as nearly as 

 possible the direction in which the animal is burrow- 

 ing, and then sink one or two perpendicular shafts 

 some distance in front. Even this does not always 

 succeed, for the Ant Bear has very acute hearing 

 and, divining the intention of its enemies, makes a 

 detour. 



It usually tunnels in zig-zag fashion about a 

 yard below the surface, thus hoping to elude its 

 pursuers. When hard pressed it sometimes digs 

 down vertically. 



The presence of flies around the entrance of a 

 hole usually indi;;ates an Aard Vark is within. 



The large muscular tail is used as a shovel to cast 

 the soil back, after the hind-legs have worked it from 

 under the body of the animal. 



When an Ant-Eater has succeeded in getting 

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