96 THREE-TOED, AND CAPE ANT EATER. 
a species of ants which build their nests among 
the branches. 
Three-toed ant eater. 
This is an obscure species described by Seba, 
and adopted by Limiceus. It is said to be a na- 
tive of India. Dr. Shaw supposes it to be a va- 
riety of the middle ant eater. 
Cape ant eater. 
The Cape ant eater is a large animal, measur- 
ing about three feet and a half from the tip of 
the nose to the beginning of the tail ; and the tail 
measures one foot nine inches. The general co- 
lour of the animal is grey, or like that of a rabbit, 
but deeper, and tinged with reddish on the sides 
and belly ; the legs are blackish ; the head is of 
a conic shape ; the nose long, and somewhat ab- 
ruptly blunt at the end, like that of a hog ; the 
tongue is very long, flat, and slender ; the ears 
about six inches long ; upright (in the dried spe- 
cimen) and extremely thin ; they are also thinly 
scattered over with fine hairs ; the hair on the head 
and upper parts is short, and lies close or smooth 
as if glued to the skin; it is longest and loosest 
on the sides and legs ; the tail is thick at the base, 
and gradually tapers to a point. The fore feet 
have, four toes ; the hind ones five ; and the claws 
on all the feet are very strong. This species in- 
habits the neighbourhood of the Cape of Good 
Hope, where it lives underground, and is called 
by the name of the ground hog. It feeds prin- 
cipally on ants. It is said to be often hunted out 
of its retreats by the Hottentot s>. who consider it 
good food. 
