160 
WANDERINGS IN 
THIRD 
JOURNEY 
The Indians have a great dread of coining in con- 
' tact with the ant-bear ; and after disabling him in 
the chase, never think of approaching him till he be 
quite dead. It is perhaps on account of this caution, 
that naturalists have never yet given to the world a 
true and correct drawing of this singular animal, or 
described the peculiar position of his fore-feet when 
he walks or stands. If, in taking a drawing from 
a dead ant-bear, you judge of the position in which 
he stands from that of all other terrestrial animals, 
the sloth excepted, you will be in error. Examine 
only a figure of this animal in books of natural 
history, or inspect a stuffed specimen in the best 
museums, and you will see that the fore claws are 
just in the same forward attitude as those of a dog, 
or a common bear, when he walks or stands. But 
this is a distorted and unnatural position; and in 
life, would be a painful and intolerable attitude for 
the ant-bear. The length and curve of his claws 
cannot admit of such a position. When he walks 
or stands, his feet have somewhat the appearance of 
a club-hand. He goes entirely on the outer side of 
his fore-feet, which are quite bent inwards ; the claws 
collected into a point, and going under the foot. In 
this position he is quite at ease; while his long claws are 
disposed ofin a manner to render them harmless to him, 
and are prevented from becoming dull and worn, like 
those of the dog, which would inevitably be the case, 
did their points come in actual contact with the ground; 
for his claws have not that retractile power which is 
given to animals of the feline species, by which they 
