THIRD JOURNEY. 



153 



with sharp claws, and with them he will inflict a severe 

 wonnd in self-defence : when not molested, he is very 

 harmless and innocent ; he would put you in mind of 

 the hare in Gay's Tables, — 



" Whose care was never to offend, 

 And every creature was her friend." 



The armadillo swims well in time of need, but does 

 not go into the water by choice. He is very seldom 

 seen abroad during the day ; and when surprised, he is 

 sure to be near the mouth of his hole. Every part of 

 the armadillo is well protected by his shell, except his 

 ears. In life, this shell is very limber, so that the 

 animal is enabled to go at full stretch, or roll himself 

 up into a ball, as occasion may require. 



On inspecting the arrangement of the shell, it puts 

 you very much in mind of a coat of armour ; indeed it 

 is a natural coat of armour to the armadillo, and being 

 composed both of scale and bone, it affords ample 

 security, and has a pleasing effect. 



The Land Often, when roving in the wilds, I would 

 tortoise. f a n j n w ith the Land tortoise ; he too adds 

 another to the list of unoffending animals ; he subsists 

 on the fallen fruits of the forest. "When an enemy 

 approaches he never thinks of moving, but quietly 

 draws himself under his shell, and there awaits his 

 doom in patience. He only seems to have two enemies 

 who can do him any damage ; one of these is the boa 

 constrictor : this snake swallows the tortoise alive, shell 

 and all. But a boa large enough to do this is "very 

 scarce, and thus there is not much to apprehend from 

 that quarter. The other enemy is man, who takes up 

 the tortoise, and carries him away. Man also is scarce 

 in these never-ending wilds, and the little depredations 



