SOUTH AMERICA. 
161 
are enabled to preserve the sharpness of their claws third 
on the most flinty path. A slight inspection of the JOURNEY - 
fore-feet of the ant-bear will immediately convince 
you of the mistake artists and naturalists have fallen 
into, by putting his fore-feet in the same position as 
those of other quadrupeds; for you will perceive that 
the whole outer side of his foot is not only deprived 
of hair, but is hard and callous; proof positive of 
its being in perpetual contact with the ground. 
Now, on the contrary, the inner side of the bottom 
of his foot is soft and rather hairy. 
There is another singularity in the anatomy of the Peculi- 
ant-bear, I believe, as yet unnoticed in the page of the 7 ™ 
natural history. He has two very large glands of the™ 7 
situated below the root of the tongue. From these Ant bear 
is emitted a glutinous liquid, with which his long 
tongue is lubricated when he puts it into the ants’ 
nests. These glands are of the same substance as 
those found in the lower jaw of the woodpecker. 
The secretion from them, when wet, is very clammy 
and adhesive, but on being dried it Joses these 
qualities, and you can pulverize it betwixt your 
finger and thumb ; so that, in dissection, if any of 
it has got upon the fur of the animal, or the feathers 
of the bird, allow it to dry there, and then it may be 
removed without leaving the least stain behind. 
The ant-bear is a pacific animal. He is never 
the first to begin the attack. His motto may be, 
u Noli me tangere.” As his habits and his haunts 
differ materially from those of every other animal in 
the forest, their interests never clash, and thus he 
