100 
MANIS 
in the skin/ while the other laps over that imme* 
diately behind it. Those that cover the tail con* 
form to the shape of that part, being of a dusky 
brown colour, and so hard, when the animal has 
acquired its full growth, as to turn a musket ball. 
Thus armed, this animal fears nothing from 
the efforts of all other creatures^ except man. 
The instant it perceives the approach of an enemy, 
it rolls itself up like the hedge-hog, and presents 
no part but the cutting edges of its scales to the 
assailant. Its long tail, which, at first view, 
might be thought easily separable, serves still 
more to increase the animal's security. This is 
lapped round the rest of the body, and, being de- 
fended with shells even more cutting than any other 
part, the creature continues in perfect security. 
Its shells are so large, so thick, and so pointed, 
that they repel every animal of prey ; they make 
a coat of armour that wounds while it resists, and 
at once protects and threatens. The most cruel, 
the most famished quadrupeds of the forest, the 
tiger, the panther, and the hyasna, make vain 
attempts to force it. They tread upon, they roll 
it about, but all to no purpose ; the manis remains 
safe within, while its invader almost always feels 
the reward of its rashness. The fox often destroys 
the hedge-hog by pressing it with his weight, and 
thus obliges it to put forth its nose, which he in- 
stantly seizes, and soon after the whole body ; 
but the scales of the manis effectually support it 
under any such weight, while nothing that the 
strongest animals are capable of doing can compel 
it to surrender. Man alone seems furnished with 
arms to conquer its obstinacy. The negroes of 
Africa, when they find it, beat it to death with 
clubs, and consider its flesh as a very great 
delicacy. 
But, although this animal be so formidable in 
