ARM 
ofcabicorn. It appears to be of the teftaceous kind ; 
i£)f an oblong form, refembling a crab's tail, and 
about an inch and a half in length. 
ARINGA, A name applied by feveral natu- 
falifts to the herring. 
ARMADILLO. The name of an animal fome- 
what approaching to the hedge-hog kind, called 
by Latin authors the echinus Braziiienfis ; and, by 
LinnEus, dafypus cingulis novem, palmis tetra- 
da6lyli:.planLispenteda£tylis. . 
Nature prefents us with feveral fpecies of tbrs 
genus ; all of which, after a general hiftory of the 
kind, it will be proper to defcribe. 
The Armadillo, which is an inhabitant of South 
America, is a peaceful harmlefs creature, incapable 
of injuring any other quadruped, and furnifhed 
with a peculiar covering for it's own defence. Pof- 
feffed of no power of repellirig external aflaults, 
the Armadillo is obliged to fubmit to every infult; 
it is attacked without danger, and confequently 
liable to various perfecutions. 
The Armadillo is covered, like a tortoife, with 
a fliellj or rather a num.ber of fhells, which prevent 
it's true proportions from being immediately dif- 
Gerned. At firft view, it appears a round, mifhapen 
mafs ; with a long head, and a very large tail, flick- 
ing out at either end, as if unconnefled with the 
fell of the body.' It is of different fizes, from one 
to three feet long; and covered with a fhell, di- 
vided into feveral pieces, and folding over each 
Other, like the tail of a lobfter. The difference in 
the fize of this animal, and alfo the different dif- 
pofitions, as well as the numbers of it's plates, have 
been generally confidered as conftituting fo many 
diftinft fpecies, to which fuitable names are given, 
in all, however, the animal is cloathed with this 
partial coat of mail; the conformation of which af- 
fords one of the greateil curiofities in the ample 
&ld of nature. 
This fhell, which in every refpeft refembles a 
bony lubftance, covers the head, the neck, the back, 
the fides, and the rump7 as well as the tail, which 
is armed to it's very extremity. Indeed, the only 
parts uncovered with this invulnerable mail are 
the throat, breaft, and belly; and even thefe, which 
appear covered with a white fl-:in refembling that 
of a fowl when ftripped of it's feathers, are in fa6l 
cloathed with fhells in an incipient ftate, of the 
fame fubftance as thofe on the back. The fkin, 
therefore, in the foftefl parts, feems to have a flrong 
tendency to ofTifaftion; but a compleat ofTification 
takes place only on thofe parts which have the 
fmalleft degree of fridlion, and are the mofl expofed 
to external injuries. The fhell which covers the 
upper part of the body differs from that of the tor- 
toife, being compofed of more parts than one, 
which lie in bands over the body; and, as in die 
tail of the lobfter, Aide over each other, being 
conne<5ted by a yellow membrane. This gives 
the animal a miOtion in it's back, and accommodates 
the armour to every neceffary inflexion. The bands 
are of various numbers and proportions : in gene- 
ral, however, there are two large pieces, one cover- 
ing the flioulders, and the other die rump. Between 
thele, on the back, the bands are placed in different 
numbers, w^hich fold over each other, and commu- 
■ nicate motion to rhe whole. Befides their opening 
. acrofs, they alfo open ftraight along the back, fo 
that the animal is enabled to move in all direc- 
tions. In one fpecies there are three of thefe bands ; 
in another, fix; in a third, eight; in a fourth, nine; 
in a fifth, twelve j and, in a fixth, eighteen. The 
ARM 
IKells are varioiifly coloured in different kinds, btit 
ufually they are (k a dirty grey, or ratl-ier fand-co- 
lour : and thefe hues, in all of them, arife from aiKXr 
ther peculiar circumftance in their conformation j 
the fhell itfelf being covered with a foftifli fkjBb 
which is fmooth and tranfparent. ,inj^:\z 
But though thefe fhells may well defend- the 
animal from a feeble enemy, they can make hm 
a flight refiftance againfl any powerful opponent: 
nature has, therefore, given the Armadillo the fame 
means of protecting itfelf as that with which ithm 
endued the hedge-hog and the pangolin ; for, the 
inflant it perceives itfeif attacked, it withdraws it's 
head under it's fhells, leaving no part vifible but 
the tip of it's nofe ; and, if the danger increafes, the 
animal's precautions being exerted in proportion, 
it tucks up it's feet under it's belly, unites it's two 
extremities together, the tail appearing like a band 
toftrengthen the connexion; and, thus rolled up, 
becomes a fort of ball fomewhat flatted on each 
fide. In this condition it remains till it's fears have 
wholly fubfided ; and it is often tolled about at the 
pleafure of other animals, having little or no ap- 
pearance of life or motion. Whenever the Indians, 
catch it, which is always in this form, they lay it 
clofe to the fire, till the poor animal is obliged ta 
expand itfelf, and thus fubmits to it's fate. 
Before tlie difcovery of America, the Armadillo 
was entirely unknown ; nor does the old world ap- 
pear to contain a fingle fpecies of thefe extraordi- 
nary creatures. They are extrem.ely mild and in- 
offenfive ; unlefs by accident they find their way 
into a garden, where they deftroy the choiceit fruits 
and vegetable productions. Though they are na- 
tives of the warmeft parts of America, they bear 
the feverity of colder climates without any appa- 
rent injury, and are often exhibited among our col- 
lections of wild beafts. Their motion feems to be 
a quick walk, but they can neither run, leap, nor 
climb up trees ; fo that if they are once found in an 
open place, they have no poffible means of efcap- 
ing. In this extremity, they commonly make to- 
wards their holes as faft as pofTible ; or, that being 
impracticable, dig a new hole before the enemy ar- 
rives. For the perform.ance of this bufinefs a few 
moments are generally fufHcient, as they burrow 
with all tlie expedition of a mole^ being fur- 
nifned with claws, extremely large, ftrong, and 
crooked, and ufually four on each foot. Tliey are 
fometimes caught by the tail, as they are making 
their way into the earth ; but fuch is their refiftance, 
and fo difHcult is it to draw them back, that if any 
great force is exerted, they readily leave their tails in 
the hands of tlieir enemies. The purfuers, fenfible 
of this, feldom pull their tails violently, but only 
hold them while another digs the furrounding earth, 
and then the animals are caught alive. The inftant 
the Armadillo perceives itfelf in the power of it's 
enemies, it's laft refource is to roll itfelf up, and 
thus patiently wait whatever tortures the cruel cap- 
tor thinks proper to infliCl. The flefh of the fmaller 
fpecies is faid to be very delicate food, fo that we 
may naturally fuppofe they receive little mercy: 
tliey are, indeed, purfued with unceafmg induftry ; 
and, though they burrow very deep in the earth, 
many expedients have been adopted to force them 
out ; fometimes by contriving to fill the hole with 
fmoke, and at others by overwhelming them with 
a deluge of water. A fmall fpecies of dogs are alfo 
bred to the chace of thefe animals, which quickly 
overtake them, if they happen to be at any diftance 
from their burrows, and oblige them to roll them- 
felves 
