176 ACULEATED ANT-EATER. 
the external coating and general appearance of 
the one^ with the mouth and peculiar generic cha- 
racters of the other. This animal, so far as may- 
be judged from the specimens hitherto imported^ 
is about a foot in length. The whole upper parts 
of the body and tail are thickly coated with strong 
and very sharp spines, of a considerable length, 
and perfectly resembling those of a Porcupine^ 
except that they are thicker in proportion to their 
length ; and that^ instead of being encircled or an- 
nulated with several alternate rings of black and 
white, as in that animal^ they are mostly of a yel- 
lowish white with black tips ; the colour running 
down to some little distance on the quill, and be- 
ing separated from the white part by a circle of 
dull orange : others have but a very slight appear- 
ance of black towards the tips. The head, legs, 
and whole under parts of the body, are of a deep 
brown, or sable, and are thickly coated with 
strong, close-set, bristly hair. The tail is ex- 
tremely short, slightly flattened at the tip, and 
coated on the upper part of the base with spines, 
at least equal in length to those of the back, and 
pointing perpendicularly upwards. The snout is 
long and tubular, and perfectly resembles in struc- 
ture that of the M. jubata, or Great Ant-Eater; 
having only a very small rictus or opening at the 
tip, from whence is protruded a long lumbrici- 
form tongue, as in other Ant-Eaters. The nos- 
trils are small, and seated at the extremity of the 
snout. The eyes are very small and black, with 
a pale blue iris. The legs are very short and 
