THE AARD VARK. 
AARD Y ARK . — Orycterojms capensis. 
of being of the graceful oval convex pattern, resembles the top of a Virginia baggage-wagon — 
its rear end being abruptly truncated. It is regarded as nearer allied to the Megatherium 
than to any living species. 
Another species was discovered by Burmeister ; its size being only that of a common rat. 
The Awt-eateks, as their name imports, feed very largely on ants, as well as on termites 
and various other insects, their long flexible tongue acting as a hand for the purpose of con- 
veying food into the mouth. The tongue of the Ant-eater, when protruded to its fullest 
extent, bears some resemblance to a great red earth-worm, and as it is employed in its food- 
collecting task, it coils and twists about as if it possessed a separate vitality of its own. 
The Aabd Vakk, or Earth -hog, is a native of Southern Africa, and is a very curious 
animal. The skin of the Aard Vark is not protected by scales or plates like those of the manis 
and the armadillo, but rather thinly covered with coarse bristly hair. Its length is about five 
as if the creature had been chopped short by the blow of a hatchet, and a piece of shell stuck 
on the cut extremity. The remainder of the body is covered with long silken hair, very like 
that of the mole in its soft texture. It is a very little creature, scarcely surpassing the 
common mole in dimensions, and living, like that animal, almost entirely below the surface of 
the earth. Its feet are formed for burrowing, and are most powerful intruments for that 
purpose, though they are not well fitted for rapid progress over the ground. 
Its food consists, as far as is known, of worms, and other subterranean creatures, in addi- 
tion to those which it may catch in its nocturnal expeditions into the open air. As is the case 
with the mole, and other subterranean animals, the eyes are of minute dimensions, and are 
hidden under the soft and profuse fur of the face. 
Family GlamydopTioridce has representatives of two genera. Ther Chlamydophorus is 
an extraordinary looking creature. It is somewhat like the armadillo, but the shell, instead 
