THE GREAT ANT-EATER. 241 
enormous size^ is also covered with long, black 
hair, somewhat resembling that of a horse ; 
and, in a shower of rain, or when the animal 
sleeps, he covers himself with it, in the man- 
ner of a squirrel, but at other times he trails 
it along the ground. The great ant-eater is 
a native of Brazil and Guiana, and sometimes 
measures eight or nine feet from the snout to 
the tip of the tail. 
The method by which this animal procures 
the ants, which constitute his principal food, 
is this: — He thrusts his long tongue into a 
nest of those insects, and when a sufficient 
number of them adheres to it, he withdraws 
his tongue and swallows his prey. He also 
climbs trees in quest of wood-lice and wild 
honey ; but, should he be disappointed, he 
can fast for a considerable time without in- 
convenience. His motions in general are very 
slow'. He swims over large rivers with ease, 
and then his tail is thrown over his hack. 
VOE. II. R 
