AARD- VARKS. 
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The Aard-Varks. 
Family Oil YCTEROPODIDA l. 
The name aard-vark, or earth-pig, has been applied by the Dutch Boers of the 
Cape to the southern representative of the second group of Old-World Edentates, 
of which there are two living species exclusively confined to Africa. To the 
English colonists of South Africa the Cape species is known as the ant-bear; while 
by the zoologist the aard-varks are termed Orycteropus, and collectively constitute 
a very distinct family group. In addition to the two living forms, the remains of 
the Ethiopian aard-vark. (From Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc., 1876.) 
an extinct species have been discovered in the Pliocene deposits of the island of 
Samos; while those of another have been recorded from the Oligocene beds of 
France. 
In appearance both species of aard-vark are singularly ungraceful, not to say 
ugly. Thus the body, which may be either almost naked or sparsely clad with 
bristly hairs, is heavy and ungainly; the head greatly elongated, with a small 
tubular mouth, and somewhat pig-like snout; the ears of enormous length, and the 
tail thick, cylindrical, and tapering, and nearly equal in length to the body. The 
neck is very short; the fore-quarters are short compared with the hinder part 
of the body; and the back is much arched. The tongue is long and extensile, 
although not so completely worm-like as that of the pangolins; and the round 
nostrils are situated at the extremity of the truncated muzzle. The fore-limbs 
are rather short, but very powerful; they have four toes, with moderate-sized, 
strong nails ; and, in walking, the entire sole of the foot is applied to the ground. 
The hind-feet have five toes of nearly equal size, each carrying a nail. The skin 
