70 



A NEW HISTORY OF 



duration, as in some insects, or be it prolonged 

 to a great extent, — witness our raven, whose life is 

 said to exceed a hundred years. 



What could the ant-bear do without its tremen- 

 dous claws, and cylinder-shaped snout, so tough 

 as to enable it to perforate huge nests of ants, 

 which, in certain districts of Southern America, 

 appear more like the roofs of Chinese temples, 

 than the work and habitations of insignificant 

 little insects ? 



Still, I have heard the remark, that, the long 

 visage of this most singular quadruped is out of 

 proportion, and unsightly : — w r hereas, I consider 

 it to be quite in unison with the rest of the body, 

 and admirably adapted to the support of life. 



Look again at the vampire ! — place it on the 

 ground, and immediately its extraordinary formation 

 appears to be nearly useless to it. A hook, in lieu 

 of hands and nails, enables it to attach itself to the 

 tree in perfect ease and safety ; and by other hooks 

 which emanate from where the feet obtain in other 

 animals, it hangs body downwards whilst it takes 

 its rest ; — though, singular to say, the head itself 

 is always turned upwards on its reversed chest. A 

 truly astonishing position indeed ' — never noticed, 

 I suspect, in any tribe of the larger animals, saving 

 that of the bat. 



