Fauna of Amoy. 



6225 



ant-eater or p.'\ngolin (Manis of Linneiis), "having no teeth, an exten- 

 sile tongue, and subsisting on ants and termites ; its body, limbs and 

 tail are covered with large, trenchant, imbricated scales, which it 

 elevates in rolling itself into a ball, when wishing to defend itself 

 against an enemy ; all its feet have five toes." Such is Cavier's 

 description of the genus. Ours is a small species (probably Manis 

 brachyurus), measuring in toto only two feet and three inches, of 

 which the tail takes one foot. Its gait is most peculiar, — with the 

 body bent in a bow, and the head and tail downwards, as it runs 

 along on the sides of its fore feet. The moment it is touched or 

 molested the head and tail are dragged under the belly, and the 

 animal assumes the appearance of a ball. A live individual was 

 brought to me by a Chinaman with a string tied round one of its 

 hind legs ; and to show me the immense muscular strength of the 

 animal, he stood upon its back, and the creature actually raised itself 

 and advanced a few steps. I kept it for some weeks, though when 

 the string was removed from its leg I was at a loss what to do with it, 

 for no box was strong enough to stand its burrowing propensity. At 

 last I inserted it into an overland tin case, and outstood the grating 

 nnise produced by the scratching of his long claws on the tin. But it did 

 not hold him long, for though the box w^as much too high, I thought, 

 for it ever to attempt its escape by forcing the lid, yet this wonderful 

 creature, by supporting itself on the end of its tail, and making use 

 of its claws, managed to get out of the box. I captured him again, 

 tying a piece of whip-cord round his hind leg, it being useless to 

 attempt to bind his retractile neck, secured him under a ladder, with 

 hard tiles to frolic on, and a snug corner to retire into at pleasure. 

 Next morning, however, on paying him a visit, I found he had not 

 contented himself with the snug corner, but had raised one of the 

 tiles, and dragged himself into the earth to the full extent of his 

 string. Without a spade it was impossible to dislodge him, so I let 

 him be ; and there he remained for several days without a single 

 morsel of food. At last he left his hiding-place, a good deal thinner, 

 but not much reduced in bodily strength ; for that same day with an 

 effort he released his body, and left his bleeding leg behind dangling 

 to the string. The bone of the femur remained on the animal whole, 

 but the flesh had been torn away. He lived for a day or two after 

 this catastrophe, not appearing to pay much attention to his wound, 

 which was fast festering. Strength at last failed him, and he died. 

 The Chinese call this animal, in the Mandarin, the Chuen-shan-kia, 

 or hill burrower, and in the Amoy the La- lee, whence I suppose is 

 XVI, 3 13 



