THIRD JOURNEY. 



147 



to preserve the sharpness of their claws on the most 

 flinty path. A slight inspection of the fore-feet of the 

 ant-bear will immediately convince you of the mistake 

 artists and naturalists have fallen into, by putting his 

 fore-feet in the same position as those of other quad- 

 rupeds ; for you will perceive that the whole outer side 

 of his foot is not only deprived of hair, but is hard 

 and callous — proof positive of its being in perpetual 

 contact with the ground. 'Now, on the contrary, the 

 inner side of the bottom of his foot is soft and rather 

 hairy. 



Peculiarity There is another singularity in the 

 lVtL an lut myanatom y of tne ant-bear, I believe, as yet 

 bear. unnoticed in the page of natural history. 



He has two very large glands situated below the root 

 of the tongue. From these is emitted a glutinous 

 liquid, with which his long tongue is lubricated when 

 he puts it into the ants' nests. These glands are of the 

 same substance as those found in the lower jaw of the 

 woodpecker. The secretion from them, when wet, is 

 very clammy and adhesive, but on being dried it loses 

 these qualities, and you can pulverize it betwixt your 

 finger and thumb ; so that, in dissection, if any of it 

 has got upon the fur of the animal, or the feathers of 

 the bird, allow it to dry there, and then it may be 

 removed without leaving the least stain behind. 



The ant-bear is a pacific animal. He is never the 

 first to begin the attack. His motto may be, " !N"oli me 

 tangere." As his habits and his haunts differ materially 

 from those of every other animal in the forest, their 

 interests never clash, and thus he might live to a good 

 old age, and die at last in peace, were it not that his 

 flesh is good food. On this account, the Indian wages 



l2 



