No. 561] 



THE NINE-BANDED ARMADILLO 



519 



lay hands upon them. If one attempts to hold one of 

 them by the shell he will realize how strong and active 

 is its resistance, for it bucks vigorously like a broncho 

 and throws off all holds. The tail is the weak point in its 

 defence, as it offers a perfect handhold, but, even when 

 grasped by the tail, it furnishes an interesting struggle 

 by violently rotating the body and often succeeds in 

 twisting free from the enemy's grasp. Then one is sur- 

 prised at the speed of which the animal is capable, its 

 galloping gait being apparently unhindered by its 

 armored cuirass. 



Of the senses, that of smell is the only one upon which 

 the animals seem to rely. When feeding they frequently 

 raise the snout on high and sniff the air in all directions. 

 The eyes are rudimentary and practically useless. If 

 disturbed an armadillo will charge off in a straight line 

 and is as apt to run into a tree trunk as to avoid it. That 

 the hearing is not at all keen is evidenced by the fact 

 that one may approach them on the leeward side even 

 if the approach is somewhat noisy. 



Breeding Habits 

 Information as to mating and care of young has come 

 indirectly through hunters, among whom there is a con- 

 siderable degree of consensus of statement. It is claimed 

 that armadillos pair for life or at least for the season. 

 It is very common to capture a male and a female to- 

 gether or to dig a pair out of a burrow. The period of 

 cestus comes early in the autumn, extending over a vari- 

 able period of time. A large proportion of the females 

 taken in October show the early stages of pregnancy, but 

 early stages have been found as late as December. It 

 seems probable that the young ' 'does" of the previous 

 season's crop reach maturity late in the autumn, for the 

 largest females are almost invariably pregnant in 

 October while many of the smaller females are non- 

 pregnant at that time. The young are for the most part 

 born in March, although births during April are not rare. 



