THREE-TOED ANT-EATER. 171 



The Three-toed Ant-Eater of Seba may, there- 

 fore, be a mere variety of the Four- toed or Tetra- 

 dactyla, and perhaps neither the black lateral 

 band, nor the pendulous ears, ought to considered 

 as constituting a permanent or specific character. 

 It is remarkable that Mr. Pennant, in his His- 

 tory of Quadrupeds, makes no mention of the M. 

 tridactyla. 



For the satisfaction of the reader, Seba's figure 

 of this supposed species is represented in the pre- 

 sent work, and those who are conversant in na- 

 tural History will readily perceive that it can 

 scarce be allowed to differ from the Myrmeco- 

 phaga tetradactyla. On the other hand, I ought 

 not to omit an observation of Mr. Vosmaer, who 

 received from the Cape of Good Hope a specimen 

 preserved in spirits of wine, and which he sup- 

 posed to be a new-born animal, though as large 

 as a young pig. He affirms that Seba's figures are 

 very good ; that they represent a perfectly distinct 

 species, viz. that of which he, received the young ; 

 but " that the fore feet are furnished with four 

 claws. Thus, in reality, the Seban animal, though 

 erroneously mentioned as having only three toes 

 on the fore feet, may still be, in all other respects, 

 a very exact representation of a species not yet 

 perfectly described; while the Linnaean tridactyla 

 must continue unknown, unless he really meant 

 the animal of Seba. 



