12 



A NEW HISTORY OF 



" Now, good Mr. howler, pray look at my hind 

 feet, and examine them well. They are just like 

 those of a dog, totally unfit for climbing, whilst 

 the fore ones are most unlikely for that purpose. 

 The curvature of the three long claws, added to 

 the inward bending of the foot itself, ought to 

 convince anybody, one would think, that we ant- 

 bears, draw no nutriment from ants' nests in the 

 high trees of the forest. 'Tis quite true, that 

 huge ants' nests are seen amongst the trees ; but, 

 it does not follow from this, that we are to place 

 our lives in jeopardy by attempting to draw our 

 food from them. The ground itself swarms with 

 millions upon millions of insects, fat and healthy, 

 through the whole extent of our wooded empire. 

 Upon these ants I exist. Neither am I in fear 

 of an enemy. My skin is tough enough to resist 

 the teeth of an hungry tiger, whilst my claws are 

 the dread of every rushing foe." 



" Then, remarked the howler monkey, our respec- 

 tive customs are opposite in the extreme. You draw 

 your nutriment from the ground, whilst I procure 

 mine from the trees. You would perish in the 

 trees, and I should die on the ground for want 

 of food. Were I to abandon the trees, and be 

 attacked on the ground, my death would be 

 certain; for I can neither save myself by flight 



