146 



WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA. 



the bite of a dog; his hinder parts are protected by 

 thick and shaggy hair, while his immense tail is large 

 enough to cover his whole body. 



The Indians have a great dread of coming in contact 

 with the ant-bear ; and after disabling him in the chase, 

 never think of approaching him till he be quite dead. 

 It is perhaps on account of this caution, that naturalists 

 have never yet given to the world a true and correct 

 drawing of this singular animal, or described the pecu- 

 liar position of his fore-feet when he walks or stands. 

 If, in taking a drawing from a dead ant-bear, you judge 

 of the position in which he stands from that of all other 

 terrestrial animals, the sloth excepted, you will be in 

 error. Examine only a figure of this animal in books 

 of natural history, or inspect a stuffed specimen in the 

 best museums, and you will see that the fore-claws are 

 just in the same forward attitude as those of a dog, or 

 a common bear, when he walks or stands. Eut this is 

 a distorted and unnatural position ; and in life, would 

 be a painful and intolerable attitude for the ant-bear. 

 The length and curve of his claws cannot admit of such 

 a position. When he walks or stands, his feet have 

 somewhat the appearance of a club-hand. He goes 

 entirely on the outer side of his fore-feet, which are 

 quite bent inwards ; the -claws collected into a point, 

 and going under the foot. In this position he is quite 

 at ease \ while his long claws are disposed of in a 

 manner to render them harmless to him, and are pre- 

 vented from becoming dull and worn, like those of the 

 dog, which would inevitably be the case, did thei 

 points come in actual contact with the ground ; for his 

 claws have not that retractile power which is given 

 animals of the feline species, by which they are enabled 



