THE AARD-VARK. ] 73 



food, and changes its residence only after it has ex- 

 hausted its resources. The facility with which it 

 burrows beneath the surface of the earth is scarcely 

 conceivable. Its feet and claws are admirably 

 adapted to this purpose ; to dig it out is almost 

 impracticable, as in a few minutes it can bury itself 

 far beyond the reach of its pursuers; even when found, 

 its strength is so great as to require the united efforts 

 of two or three men to drag it from its hole. When 

 fairly caught, however, it is by no means retentive 

 of life, but is easily dispatched by a slight blow over 

 the snout. The Aard-vark is an extremely timid, 

 harmless animal, seldom removes to any great dis- 

 tance from its burrow, being slow of foot, a bad run- 

 ner, and is never by any chance found abroad during 

 the daytime. On the approach of night it sallies 

 forth in search of food, and repairing to the nearest 

 inhabited ant-hill, scratches a hole in the side of it 

 just sufficient to admit its taper snout. Here, having 

 previously ascertained that there is no danger of 

 interruption, it lies down, and inserting its long- 

 slender tongue into the breach, entraps the ants, 

 which like those of our own country, upon the first 

 alarm, fly to defend their dwellings, and mounting 

 upon the tongue of the Aard-vark, adhere to a gluti- 

 nous saliva with which it is covered, and are thus swal- 

 lowed in vast numbers. If uninterrupted, the Aard- 

 vark continues this process until it has satisfied its 

 appetite ; but on the slightest alarm it makes a pre- 



