ANT 
on ants and infefts of a fimilar nature, which are 
found in the greateft abundance throughout thofe 
countries which give birth to this animal. In thefe 
climates the ants live in large communities, and 
frequently raife their hills to a very confiderable 
height. When this animal approaches them, it 
creeps flowiy forward on it's belly, ufing every pre- 
caution to keep itfelf undifcovered till within a con- 
venient difbance of the place where it intends to 
make it's banquet ; then ftretching itfelf length- 
wife on the ground, it thrufts forth it's round red 
tongue, which is often two feet long, acrofs the 
path of thefe induftrious infefts, fuffering it to re- 
main motionlefs for feveral minutes together. The 
ants of thefe regions, fome of which are halt an 
inch long, confidering it only as a piece of flefh 
accidentally thrown in their way, fwarm upon it in 
great numbers, but are imjnediately entangled ; the 
tongue of the Ant-Eater being covered with a 
flimy fluid like bird-lime. When the Ant-Eater 
perceives it's tongue covered with a fufficient num- 
ber, it inftantly draws it in, and devours them : and 
continues to aft in the fame manner till it's appe- 
tite is fully gratified ; when it again retires to it's 
hiding-place, wliere it remains in a ftate of inac- 
tivity as long as hunger will permit. 
Such is the luxurious life of the Ant-Eater; a 
creature, of all others, apparently the mofl; helplefs. 
However, it finds fafety from it's enemies in the 
privacy of it's retreat j and, in fome neighbouring 
ant-hill, an ample fupply of all it's wants. As 
it's chief aim is to avoid it's purfuers, it is feldom 
difcovered: but, when driven to an extremity, 
though deftitute of teeth, it will fight with it's 
claws ; and it has often been known to oppofe the 
dog, and even the jaguar, with fuccefs. It throws 
itfelf on it's back, fallens on it's enemy widi all it's 
claws, and adheres with fuch ftrength and perfe- 
verance, that even after death it does not relinquifh 
it's hold for a confiderable tim.e. 
Ant-Eater, Great. This animal has a long 
(lender nofe, fmall black eyes, and a round fliort 
mouth. The tongue, which is about thirty inches 
long, lies double in the mouth. The legs are ex- 
tremely (lender, having four toes on the fore-feet, 
and five on the hind ; and the two middle claws on 
the fore-feet are very large, fbrong, and hooked. 
The hair on the upper part of the body is black 
mixed with grey, and about fix inches longj a 
black line, bounded above with white, extending 
from the neck, acrofs the Ihoulders, to the fides. 
The fore-legs are whitifh, and marked above the 
feet with a Vv'hite fpot : the tail, which is about a 
foot in length, is covered with very long coarfe 
black hair. That beautiful fpecimen in Sir Afliton 
Lever's Mufeum, which is fuperior to any ever yet 
defcribed, is feven feet four inches long ; it's tail is 
two feet nine inches; and it's height is exactly two 
feet. 
This fpecies of the Great Ant-Eater inhabits 
Brazil and Guiana; it moves very flowiy, but is ca- 
pable of fwimming acrofs the largefc rivers. It is, 
hov/ever, fo fearful of rain, that when expofed to a 
fhower it ufes it's long bufliy tail for a covering. 
This animal, as well as every fpecies of ant-eaters, 
brings forth but a fingle young one at a time; and, 
on thefe occafions, the female is fo extremely fierce, 
that nothing which gets within her fore-feet is able 
to extricate itfelf. Even tlie American panther is 
often unequal to the combat; for Ihould the Great 
Ant-Eater find an opportunity of embracing it, flie 
fixes her talons fo deeply in it's fides, that ihe fel- 
ANT 
dom quits her hold till after the death of her ad- 
verfary. The Great Ant-Eater fleeps by day, and 
preys by night. It's flefli, which has a ftrong dif- 
agreeable tafte, is efteemed excellent food by the 
Indians. 
Ant-Eater, Middle-sized. This, like the 
other fpecies of ant-eaters, has a long flender 
nofe, fomewhatincurvated; alittlemouth; andfmall 
black eyes. The ears are alfo fmall and upright; 
it has four claws on each of the fore-feet, and five 
on thofe behind. The hair is of a pale yellow co- 
lour, hard and fliining; and a black line croffes the 
flioulders on each fide of the neck, and meets at 
the extremity of the back. The tail, which is ten 
inches long, is taper, and covered with long hair; 
and the length of the body is nineteen inches. It 
inhabits Brazil and Guiana ; and, in it's manners 
and inftin6l, exaftly correfponds with the Great 
Ant-Eater. It is, however, capable of climbing 
trees, fattening itfelf to the branches by it's tail. 
Ant-Eater, Striped. This is an uncertain 
fpecies; but is generally defcribed thus : the nofe 
is long and tapering; the upper mandible is con- 
fiderably longer than the lower; the eyes are ex- 
tremely minute; the ears are round and fhort; the 
fore-feet are furnifhed with five toes; the tail is 
covered with long hair of an equal length ; and the 
body is marked with longitudinal broad black 
ftripes, the refl: being of a tawny colour. The tail, 
which is annuiated, is likewife tawny; and the belly 
is of a dirty white. The length of this fpecies hardly 
exceeds one foot; and the tail is more than half the 
length of the whole body. Guiana appears to be 
it's native place, where it's flefh is efteemed deli- 
cious food. 
Ant-Eater, Lesser. The Lefl^er Ant-Eater 
has a conical nofe, with a downward incurva- 
tion; the ears are fmall, and almoft obfcured by 
the face ; the head, limbs, and body, with the up- 
per part of the fides and tail, are cloathed with long 
foft filky hair, or radier wool, of a yellowiih co- 
lour, inclining to brown. It has two hooked claws 
on the fore-feet, the exterior of which is confider- 
ably the largeft; and it has four claws on the hind- 
feet. This animal meafures about feven inches 
and a half in length, exclufive of the tail, which 
is upwards of eight inches long, thick at the bafe, 
pardy naked, and tapering to a point. It alfo 
inhabits Guiana, and pofl"efl!es the power of climb- 
ing trees in fearch of a fpecies of ants which affix 
their nefcs to the branches. 
Another fpecies of tlie LeflTer Ant-Eater has been 
difcovered at the Cape of Good Hope, and in the 
Ifle of Ceylon ; having four toes on the fore-feet, 
and pendalous ears, which feem to difl:inguifh it 
from other kinds. Kolben, in his Hiftory of the 
Cape, informs us, that they are toothlefs; that if 
they fallen their claws in the ground, no man pof- 
feflTes fufficient flirength to difengage them; and 
that they protrude their clammy tongues, which 
they infert into the ants nefl:, and draw it into 
their mouths, together with the infefts which ad- 
here to it. Mr. Strachan, in his Account of Cey- 
lon, defcribes an animal to which the natives give 
the nam.e of talgoi, or ant-bear, after the fame 
manner. It is therefore an unqueftionable faft, 
that thefe animals, though more rare, exift in the 
old world as well as in the new, 
ANT-LION, or FORMICA LEO. If we 
confider this infe£t in it's different flrages of exiftence, 
we fiiall find it equally wonderful in all. In it's 
reptile ftate, however, it is eflTentially different from 
K ■ all 
