THE 
GREAT ANTEATER. 
Myrmecophaga jubata. 
Plate XXX. 
The Great Anteater—an animal peculiar to the hot tropical forests of South America—is one of the most 
singular creatures which lias ever lived in the Society’s Menagerie, and presented unusual difficulties in its 
management. The first example received arrived in the autumn of 1853; the second in the February following; 
and a third, hut very young specimen, was presented to the Society by Captain Abbott, of the Royal West 
Indian Mail Steam Service, in the beginning of May, 1856. The latter lived but a few days, having suffered 
considerably on the passage from Brazil. The first, from which Mr. Wolf’s drawing was made, survived the 
winter ot 1853-4, and lived for upwards of nine months in the Gardens. During the whole of that period it 
refused every kind of nourishment, except a mixture of eggs and milk, with the occasional addition of a little 
comminuted flesh, which, although bearing but little resemblance to its natural food, appeared for some time 
to afford it sufficient support. The manner in which this liquid was lapped into the small orifice of the 
mouth, explained the sweeping action of the flexible, viscous, prehensile tongue, with which, in its native 
forests, the Anteater deals death to the Termites, or White Ants, after destroying their nests with his powerful 
fore-limbs, and their armature of long, sharp claws. The sweep of the tongue, at its greatest prolongation, is 
not less than eighteen inches, and its flexibility is marvellous. The elaborate system of muscles by which this 
extraordinary structure is controled, has been specially elucidated and figured in Professor Owen’s Paper on 
the Anatomy of this Animal, published in the fourth volume of the Society’s “Transactions.” 
Although perfectly edentate or toothless, and with a mouth which scarcely extends beyond the tip of the 
nose, the jaws of the Anteater are of great length, and give an extremely characteristic bird-like expression 
to its physiognomy. The motion of the jaws is distinctly seen under the covering of skin, during the act of 
feeding, and adds not a little to the singular aspect of the animal. 
To preserve the sharpness of the claws of the fore-feet, which are indispensable for its defence, as well as 
for the peculiar operation by which the Termites are dislodged from their well-built towers, the Anteater folds 
them under the sole, and walks on the outer side of the foot. Thus the points of the claws never come in 
contact with the ground, and they are as effectually protected from injury as the claws of a cat, although by 
a very different provision. 
This Anteater, according to Mr. Waterton, is invariably found in moist umbrageous retreats in the heart 
of tropical forests, where it leads a quiet life of much repose. In like manner most of its time in confinement 
is passed in sleep, during which the head is turned downwards, under the body, between the fore-legs; and the 
tail is folded forwards, and covers the rest of the animal with a screen of long pendulous hair, altogether 
impenetrable to sight. In this state the Great Anteater occupies but little space, and becomes a very 
unnoticeable object. 
In its slow and measured walk the tail is stretched out in a straight line with the back, and the animal 
then presents a length of between six and seven feet, of which the head occupies about one foot, and the tail 
three, On awaking it unfolds itself with solemnity, and generally sits up on its haunches, with the powerful 
fore-legs planted firmly, like buttresses, in front, stretching out its long bird-like muzzle to the right and left, 
in the attitude, perhaps, in which, according to Azara, it awaits the onslaught of an enemy. It cleans its face 
and little mouth by rubbing them with the knee-joint, slightly bent for that purpose, the viscid saliva and the 
adhesive nature of its food rendering some such operation a matter of continual necessity. 
Besides the Great Anteater there are two other well-known species of the group, of inferior dimensions, 
which inhabit the forests of Central and Southern America. These are the Tamandua, or Four-toed Anteater 
(Taniandua tetradactyla), and the Little, or Two-toed Anteater (Cyclothurus didactylus). Both these animals have 
prehensile tails, and are more or less arboreal in their habits, the Little Anteater probably very seldom 
descending to the ground. Of the Little Anteater the Menagerie has once contained a single example, which, 
however, lived but a short time in this country. It was brought from Brazil by E. B. Webb, Esq., Civil 
Engineer, in September, 1858, and liberally presented to the Society. 
