98 ' MANIS* 
mity of the snout. The eyes are very small, and 
black, with a pale blue iris. The legs are very 
short and thick, and are each furnished with 
five rounded broad toes ; on the fore feet are 
five very strong, long, and blunt black claws ; 
on the hind feet are only four claws ; the thumb, 
which is broader than the rest of the toes, being 
destitute of a claw ; the first claw on the hind 
foot is extremely long, somewhat curved, and 
sharp -^pointed ; the next rather shorter, but of 
similar appearance ; the two remaining ones far 
shorter, very slightly curved, and not sharp- 
pointed. 
In its mode of life, this animal resembles the 
rest of the ant eaters, being generally found in 
the midst of some large ant-hill. It burrows 
with great strength and celerity underground 
when disturbed ; its feet and legs being exces- 
sively strong and short, and wonderfully adapted 
to this purpose. It will even burrow under a 
pretty strong pavement, removing the stones with 
its claws, or under the bottom of a wall. Du- 
ring these exertions, its body is lengthened to an 
unusual degree. 
Manis, 
i 'I S ■ ' , , _ , • „ . .. 
This genus has the back, sides, and upper part 
of the tail, covered with large, strong, scales ; 
a small mouth, a long tongue, and no teeth. 
The manis has been usually Galled the scaly 
lizard ; but, as M. Buffon very judiciously ob- 
serves, the calling it a lizard is apt to produce 
error, and occasion its being confounded with an 
animal which it resembles only in its general form, 
and in its being covered with scales. The lizard 
may be considered as a reptile, produced from an 
egg ; the manis is a quadruped, and brought 
