376 NATURAL HISTORY READER. 



digits. Whatever may have been written heretofore by 

 naturalists, the orycteropus is in fact digitigrade rather 

 than plantigrade. "When the animal is walking, the head 

 is inclined, the snout nearly touching the ground, the ears 

 laid half-way back, and the tail trailing. From time to 

 time the animal stops to listen ; it is guided principally by 

 hearing and smell, and by the same means contrives to es- 

 cape from its enemies. 



5. On finding a path that has been traveled over by 

 ants or termites, it follows it up to the ant-hill ; having 

 reached the latter, it attacks the structure witli its paws, 

 making the dust fly all around, and digging rapidly till it 



The Aard- Vark. 



comes to the center, or at least to one of the principal 

 streets. Then, alternately exserting and retracting its 

 viscous tongue, it devours the ants by the thousands. 

 Having made an end of one nest, it attacks another, and so 

 on till its hunger is appeased. When we consider the 

 alarming rate at which ants and termites multiply, and the 

 damage they cause, wc must recognize in the orycteropus 

 one of the most efficient of man's auxiliaries in tropical re- 

 gions. 



6. The orycteropi are extremely timid : at the slightest 

 noise they try to get under ground. If they find no suitable 

 hole or crevice, then they quickly dig for themselves a hid- 

 ing-place. The late J. Verreaux, who had many a time 



