MAMMALIA. 305 
animals (Fig. 331) are found in South America. The muz- 
zle is extremely long, the mouth toothless, the tongue of 
great length and used to gather up ants, the capture being 
helped by a viscid saliva that covers it. The body is cov- 
ered with thick, coarse hairs, that are so developed upon 
the tail that it completely covers the body, affording pro- 
tection to the young that cling to the mother’s back, the 
family resembling a bush of dried herbage. The claws 
are extremely powerful, and used in tearing open the nests 
of ants, and persons have been killed by them. The little 
ant-eaters have two toes, a prehensile tail, and live in trees, 
finding protection in the resemblance to the bark and moss. 
Allied to these is the aard-vark, or South African ant-eater 
(Fig. 329), that has long ears, a pig-like snout, and burrows 
in the ground, coming out at night to prey upon ants. 
Armadillos (Dasypodide).—These are the most won- 
derful of all mammals, being covered with horny plates or 
scales. The armor is arranged in different regions : one 
shield covers the 
head, another 
the shoulders, 
and another the 
rump, while be- 
tween the two _ 
latterare séveral * 
bands allowing 
free movement.~ ‘Fic.’ 330.—Glyptodon, a gigantic extinct armadillo. 
The tail is pro- ey 
tected by rings, and. the: :legs by horny : Paes The 
muzzle is pointed, as in'the aard-vark, the ears are long, 
and claws powerful, adapted for digging (Fig. 331). The 
giant armadillo attains a: length of four feet: In the Ci/a- 
mydophorus the back only is protected by an. armor made 
up of square, cubical plates, connected by a leathery de- 
velopment. The fore-claws are very powerful. . A fossil 
armadillo, found near the La Plata, was as large as a 
