ARMADILLO* 
105 
situation it is tossed about at the pleasure of every 
other quadruped, and very little resembling a 
creature endowed with life and motion. When- 
ever the Indians take it, which is in this form, 
by laying it close to the fire, they soon oblige 
the poor animal to unfold itself, and to face a 
milder death to escape a more severe. 
This animal is a native only of America, for 
they were utterly unknown before the discovery of 
that continent. It is an inoffensive, harmless 
creature, unless it finds the way into a garden, 
where it does a great deal of mischief, by eating 
the melons, the potatoes, and other vegetables. 
Although a native of the warmest parts of 
America, yet it bears the cold of our climate 
without any inconvenience. They are often shown 
among other wild beasts, which is a proof they 
are not difficult to be brought over. Their mo- 
tion seems to be a swift walk, but they can neither 
run, leap, nor climb trees ; so that, if found in an 
open place, they have no method of escaping 
from their pursuers. Their only resource in such 
an extremity is to make towards their hole as fast 
as they can ; or, if this be impracticable, to 
make a new hole before the enemy arrives. For 
this they require but a very few moments advan- 
tage ; the mole itself does not burrow swifter than 
they can. For this purpose, they are furnished with 
claws extremely large, strong, and crooked, and usu- 
ally four upon each foot. They are sometimes caught 
by the tail as they are making their way into the 
earth ; but such is their resistance, and so difficult 
is it to draw them backward, that they leave their 
tail in the hand of their pursuer, and are very 
well contented to save their lives with its loss. 
The pursuers, sensible of this, never drag the tail 
with all their force, but hold it while another 
digs the ground about them* and thus these ani* 
VOL. i. * 
