EXPEDITION TO SURINAAl. 223 

 ■tail Ions; and thick at the root, and tapering gradually CHAP, 



X. 



like a carrot towards the point, and is covered over \ ^ 

 like the body with moveable rings. This animal has 

 four ihort le'^s with four toes, armed with two claws 

 on the fore-feet, and five on thofe behind. The ar- 

 madillo walks generally during the night, being feldom 

 feen through the day, and fleeps in burrows under 

 ground, which it makes with great facility, and in 

 which it fticks fo faft that the ftrongeft man cannot 

 draw it out, though he were to pull its tail with both 

 hands. When attacked or terrified, it forms itfelf into 

 a round ball like a hedge-hog, making its cuirafs and 

 helmet meet together, in which are enclofed its head, 

 feet, and whole body. This creature feeds on roots, 

 infedts, fruits, birds. Sec. and when drefled appeared 

 to me a tolerably good difh, though in general by 

 Europeans it is accounted no great delicacy ; the Indians 

 are, however, extremely fond of it. 



I fhall, in this place, alfo take the opportunity of men- 

 tioning the Guiana porcupine, which is frequently called 

 here the adjora. This animal, which is from its muzzle 

 to the root of the tail fometimes three feet in length, is 

 covered with hard prickles, the feet, the face, and part 

 of its tail excepted. Thefe prickles are about three inches 

 long, yellow at the root, a dark chefnut colour in the 

 middle, and white at the points ; they are extremely 

 lharp, highly polifhed, and moveable, ferving for the 

 creature's defence, which, when irritated, it drefles in 



arrayj 



