MANIS. 
99 
forth alive, and perfectly formed. The lizard is 
all over covered with the marks of scales ; the 
manis has scales neither on the throat, the breast, 
nor ,the belly. The scales of the lizard seem 
stuck upon the body even closer than those of 
fishes ; the scales of the manis are only fixed at 
one end; and capable of being erected, like those 
of the porcupine, at the will of the animal. The 
lizard is a defenceless creature ; the manis can 
roll itself into a ball, like the hedgehog, and 
presents the points of its scales to the enemy, 
which effectually defend it. 
The manis, which is a native of the torrid cli- 
mates of the antient continent, is, of all other ani- 
mals, the best protected from external injury by 
nature. It has no teeth, but is armed with five 
toes on each foot, with long white claws. But 
what it is chiefly distinguished by, is its scaly 
covering, which, in some measure, hides all the 
proportions of its body. These scales defend the 
animal on all parts, except the under part of the 
head and neck, under the shoulders, the breast, 
the belly, and the inner side of the legs ; all 
which parts are covered with a smooth soft skin, 
without hair. Between the shells of this animal, 
at all the interstices, are seen hairs like bristles, 
brown at the extremity, and yellow towards the 
root. The scales of this extraordinary creature 
are of different sizes and different forms, and stuck 
upon the body somewhat like the leaves of an arti- 
choke. The largest are found near the tail, which 
is covered with them like the rest of the body* 
These are above three inches broad, and about two 
inches long, thick in the middle and sharp at the 
edges, and terminated in a roundish point. They 
are extremely hard, and their substance resembles 
that of horn. They are convexed on the outside, 
and a little concave on the inner ; one edge sticks 
