THE SIX-BANDED ARMADILLO. 



ball, flattifli on one fide, and in this pofture it continues obftinately fixed, 

 till the danger is over, and often for a long time after; and this it is enabled to 

 do, by the afliftance of ftrong, lateral mufcles, confifting of numberlefs fibres, 

 which crofs each other in the form of the letter X, and give the animal a 

 power of refiftance which the ftrongeft man is fcarcely able to overcome. 

 When the Indians find it in this form, they lay it clofe to the fire, the heat 

 of which foon obliges the poor creature to unrol itfelf, and fubmit to a milder 

 kind of death. 



All thefe animals root up the ground, like the Hog, to fearch after roots. 

 They alfo eat melons, potatoes, and other vegetables, and do great mifchief 

 to gardens, when they chance to enter them. They frequent damp and 

 watery places, where they will eat fmall fiih, worms, water infects, and 

 animal flelh, when they can get it. Though naturally accullomed to a warm 

 climate, they do not feem to be much affected by cold; feveral of them have 

 been brought into England, where they appear to enjoy perfect health. 

 Thefe animals live in deep burrows, which they dig for themfelves in the 

 ground: they feldom quit their abodes, except during the night time, when 

 they come out to feed: they feldom go far from their hole, and if furprifed, 

 immediately run towards it, to fecure themfelves. If they have not time to 

 reach their hole, they inftantly fet about digging a frefh one, which they 

 generally accomplish before they are overtaken by their adverfary; and this 

 they are enabled to do, by the alliftance of their claws, which are extremely 

 large, ftrong, and crooked. They are, however, fometimes overtaken by their 

 purfuers, and caught by the tail before they have quite made good their 

 retreat: in this fituation it patiently awaits its fate. 



Their motion is a fwift kind of walk, but they can neither run, leap, nor 

 climb trees. The flefti of the fmaller kinds, when young, being delicious 

 eating, they are much fought after, and many contrivances are practifed to 

 take them . Sometimes they are driven out of their holes by fmoke, fometimes 

 by water, and fmall Dogs are alfo taught to chafe them, and force them to 

 roll themfelves up into a ball, before they have time to reach their holes ; in 

 which fituation they are eafily overtaken by the hunters. If the Armadillo 



