WILD ANIMALS IN CAPTIVITI 
mashed up into pulp, and I have no doubt that she 
would have inserted her long snout into a ripe melon 
and eat out the contents. In fact, I very much doubt 
the statements, made by the early writers, of the habits 
and food of this singular animal, they being probably 
deceived or misled by the woodpecker-like tongue of this 
animal into the belief that it was intended for the capture 
of small insects. For my own part, I have tried them with 
the most tempting insect food at my command, namely, 
mealworms, and have failed to get these creatures to eat 
them, although the worms were sometimes mixed with 
milk and honey. 
When the animal was scratching and burrowing in the 
earth I have seen him thrust his long nose suddenly into 
the ground and draw forth a worm which he would eat, 
but in no instance have I observed him allow his long and 
delicate tongue to hang out in the dirt or remain protruded 
from his mouth for more than an instant, unless it was 
thrust into some sweet and glutinous fluid that he was 
engaged in licking up. 
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