THE STORY OF THE ARMADILLO. 14 ? 
These animals are hunted with small dogs, which are trained for this 
purpose. The hunters know when they are concealed in their holes, by the 
number of flies which then hover round; and their usual mode of forcing 
them out is by smoking the burrows, or pouring in water. If they begin to 
dig, the animal digs also; and by throwing the earth behind it, so effect¬ 
ually closes up the hole, that the smoke -cannot penetrate. 
A moonlight night is the best time to hunt armadillos for they are then 
abroad searching for food—ants, mice, worms, larvas, insects, birds eggs and 
snakes, besides many different vegetable fibres. The hunter needs no weapon 
but a stout club, and no assistant but a good dog. 
THE PELUDO OR BROWN-HAIRED ARMADILLO. 
As soon as the armadillo perceives the dog, it either makes straight for 
its burrow, or endeavors to bury itself by digging a hole where it stands. 
If the dog come up with the creature before it gain its retreat, its fate is 
sealed. As the shell which covers the upper part of its body affords no hold, 
the dog generally seizes the armadillo by the head, or a paw, and holds it till 
the arrival of his master, by whom it is despatched with a blow on the head 
from his stick. A specially clever dog will, however, endeavor to overthrow 
the armadillo as it runs by thrusting his nose under the edge of the shell. 
The creature is then promptly seized by the soft under-parts, and soon killed. 
The bony covering which is such a powerful means of defense to the 
