THE ARMADILLO. 
251 
the mouth. The ant-eaters (Myrmecophaga) inhabit South 
America. 
The pangolins, or species of Manis (Fig. 288), are mail- 
clad ant-eaters, the body and long tail being covered with 
large overlapping scales. When molested tliey roll up the 
body. In walking the hind feet rest on the soles, while 
the fore feet are supported by the upper side of the long 
bent claws. 
The long-tailed pangolin of the West Coast of Africa 
(Figc 288) tears open with its long claws the nests of the 
white ants. It is nearly f metre (28-30 inches) in length. 
The armadillos are small mammals covered with a shell, 
consisting of from three to thirteen transverse rows of 
Fig. 291.— Nine-banded Armadillo. From Liitken's Zoology. 
movable scales; by rolling into a ball, these singular crea- 
tures become thoroughly protected from their enemies. 
Basypus novem-cinctus (Fig. 289) is much like the Peba 
armadillo (Fig. 290), and extends from South America to 
Texas. The three-banded armadillo (Fig. 291) can roll 
itself into a ball; it is an inhabitant of Brazil, Buenos 
Ayres, and Paraguay. According to Herbert Smith, the 
armadillos in Southern Brazil burrow in the grass of the 
plains, and the smaller species tear open the high conical 
nests of the white ants. These nests are almost as hard 
as brick; the bones and muscles of the fore feet in the 
armadillos are specially modified so as to secure great 
strength for digging, and the large claws are used like 
miniature picks in boring into the tough clay.'^ {A^nerican 
Naturalist, July, 1883), 
