LECTURE III. 77 



lengthened to an uncommon degree, so as to ap- 

 pear very different from the short and plump aspect 

 which it bears in its undisturbed state- 

 It cannot have escaped the attention of every 

 one, that the genera of the Pangohns and Ant- 

 Eaters differ only in their external covering from 

 each other; the Linncean genus Myrmecophaga 

 being covered with hair, and that of Manis with 

 strong horny scales. In consequence therefore of 

 the discovery of the aculeated or porcupine Ant- 

 Eater, it follows that ^he Linnsean character of the 

 genus Myrmecophaga, is in part rendered inap- 

 plicable, since a genuine species of Ant-Eater is 

 now discovered, which is coated, not with hair, 

 but with strong spines or quills. We may there- 

 fore either enlarge the Linn£ean character of the 

 Ant-Eaters, by saying that the body is covered 

 either with hair or spines, or else we may consider 

 the aculeated Ant-Eater as constituting a new and 

 distinct genus, of which the characters will be', 

 a mouth of a tubular structure, and without teeth, 

 but furnished with a long, extensile tongue, and 

 the body covered with strong spines. I may add 

 that two other species have been lately discovered. 



