176 ACULEATED ANT-EATER. 



the external coating and general appearance of 

 the one, with the mouth and peculiar generic cha- 

 racters of the other. This animal, so far as may 

 be judged from the specimens hitherto imported, 

 is about a foot in length. The whole upper parts 

 of the body and tail are thickly coated with strong 

 and very sharp spines, of a considerable length, 

 and perfectly resembling those of a Porcupine, 

 except that they are thicker in proportion to their 

 length ; and that, instead of being encircled or an- 

 nulated with several alternate rings of black and 

 white, as in that animal, they are mostly of a yel- 

 lowish white with black tips ; the colour running 

 down to some little distance on the quill, and be- 

 ing separated from the white part by a circle of 

 dull orange : others have but a very slight appear- 

 ance of black towards the tips. The head, legs, 

 and whole under parts of the body, are of a deep 

 brown, or sable, and are thickly coated with 

 strong, close-set, bristly hair. The tail is ex- 

 tremely short, slightly flattened at the tip, and 

 coated on the upper part of the base with spines, 

 at least equal in length to those of the back, and 

 pointing perpendicularly upwards. The snout is 

 long and tubular, and perfectly resembles in struc- 

 ture that of the M. jubata, or Great Ant-Eater; 

 having only a very small rictus or opening at the 

 tip, from whence is protruded a long lumbrici- 

 form tongue, as in other Ant-Eaters. The nos- 

 trils are small, and seated at the extremity of the 

 snout. The eyes are very small and black, with 

 a pale blue iris. The legs are very short and 



