CLASS I. MAMMALIA: ORDER 8. EDENTATA. 
467 
the maize tlius accidentally spilt, opened a trench or burrow at some distance from the trap, and 
without deviating a hair's breadth from the straight line of his direction, pushed it on to the very- 
spot where the grain had fallen, and possessed himself of the booty !" 
THE SIX-BANDED ARMADILLO. 
Oenus ENCOUBERT : Eiiphractus. — In the animals of this genus, that part of the carapace 
which covers the loins consists of six to ten broad movable bands, coming down the sides, but 
covering no part of the belly; the covering npon the rump, as well as that upon the neck and 
shoulders, come down in the same manner. The forehead, as ^yell as the upper part of the tail, 
are also protected by the scaly armor. 
The PoYou, or Six-banded Armadillo, E. sexcinctus, is one of the species which has been 
long known, and was described by Buffon, The central bands are usually six, but the number 
varies. Its size is nearly that of a woodchuck, being about fourteen or sixteen inches long, but 
the form is flatter and more tortoise-like. It has, like the rest of its brethren, little stupid eyes, 
a keen-scented nose, sharp quick-hearing ears. Being provided with shield and buckler by na- 
ture, nature gave it no other defense, not even that of the courage or spirit to make battle when 
attacked. It is in fact a shy, timid little beast, living in its burrow or a crevice in the rocks by 
day, and stealing forth at night in quest of fruits, roots, maize, worms, and insects that chance to 
come in its way. It does not disdain carrion, and being a great frequenter of the pampas of Bue- 
nos Ayres, where it has a perpetual feast on the carcasses of cattle killed for their skins, it gets 
fat, and being esteemed a delicacy when roasted in the shell, it is killed and eaten in large num- 
bers. In case of danger, this creature perhaps squats in the grass, and being nearly of the color 
of the earth, may pass unnoticed. If this does not answer, it runs, perchance, and pretty rapidly 
too, considering its short legs, dumpy form, and ordinary tortoise-like gait. If hard pressed, and 
the shape of the country favors, it will roll itself into a ball and tumble down the hills or rocks, 
and thus make its escape. 
Beside this there are other species, among which are the Pichtt, D. ininutus, and the Hairy 
Armadillo, D. villosus of Desmarest. 
Genus PRIODONTES : Priodontes. — Of this genus is the Great Armadillo, P. gigas : the 
Grand Tatou of Azara; the Giant Tatou of Cuvier. In this the carapace covers the body 
above and low down on the sides, but leaves the belly unprotected; the bands across the back 
are twelve to fourteen. It is the largest of the family, being three feet three inches long, with a 
tail nearly half the length of the body ; its head is very small ; its ears are of a moderate size, 
pointed, and habitually crouched backward ; the tail is remarkably thick at the root, being up- 
ward of ten inches in circumference; it is gradually attenuated toward the tip, covered with 
plates disposed in rings at the base, and forming spiral or crescent-shaped lines throughout the 
