SOUTH AMERICA. 
167 
takes, and then sinks a pit in the sand to catch the third 
end of it: this done, he puts it farther into the hole,-’ 
and digs another pit, and so on, till at last he comes 
up with the armadillo, which had been making itself 
a passage in the sand till it had exhausted all its 
strength through pure exertion. I have been some¬ 
times three quarters of a day in digging out one 
armadillo, and obliged to sink half a dozen pits, 
seven feet deep, before I got up to it. The Indians 
and negroes are very fond of the flesh, but I con¬ 
sider it strong and rank. 
On laying hold of the armadillo you must be 
cautious not to come in contact with his feet: they 
are armed with sharp claws, and with them he will 
inflict a severe wound in self-defence: when not mo¬ 
lested, he is very harmless and innocent; he would 
put you in mind of the hare in Gay’s Fables,— 
“ Whose care was never to offend, 
And every creature was her friend.” 
The armadillo swims well in time of need, but 
does not go into the water by choice. He is very 
seldom seen abroad during the day; and when sur¬ 
prised, he is sure to be near the mouth of his hole. 
Every part of the armadillo is well protected by his 
shell, except his ears. In life, this shell is very 
limber, so that the animal is enabled to go at full 
stretch, or roll himself up into a ball, as occasion 
may require. 
On inspecting the arrangement of the shell, it puts 
you very much in mind of a coat of armour; indeed 
it is a natural coat of armour to the armadillo, and 
