LIVING BALLS. 



31 



as that of his elders, but light in color, and soft 

 like parchment. 



The Old World furnishes another living ball 

 in the manis, or scaly ant-eater. This strange 

 animal is about eighteen inches in length, with 

 a tail as long as the body, and a protecting 

 armor different from, but quite as effectual, as 

 that of the armadillo. From nose to tip of tail 

 the manis is clothed in gray horny scales, shield- 

 shape and convex, so that they lie closely, lap- 

 ping over each other. The tail is very broad, 

 and possesses great muscles of such power that 

 several men together fail to move it from its 

 chosen position, wrapped around the ball, he 

 makes of himself. In this position he is quite 

 different from the armadillo. Instead of offer- 

 ing a smooth, hard surface to the enemy, each 

 plate stands up from the rest, all presenting an 

 array of sharp, horny points extremely unpleas- 

 ant to the touch of man or beast. To assume 

 the ball shape he places his head between the 

 fore legs, wraps the tail over legs and head, 

 bringing it up on to the neck, and there he holds 

 it, while leopards and jackals, as well as men, 

 try their strength on him in vain. 



The manis is quite as odd when walking about 

 as the armadillo, though not in the same way. 

 The claws of his fore feet being long and curved, 

 he turns them under or back, and walks on the 



