THE ARMADILLO. 
LL Armadillos bear the name 
Fatu in the South American 
fill Guarau Indian language. 
J ® Although the name is of 
Spanish origin the In- 
dian term Fatu has also been adopted 
in European languages, except in the 
single case of the six-banded species. 
They are all of more or less similar 
appearance and habits. They are 
natives of the southern American 
belt, extending as far north as Mexico, 
and the specimen presented here was 
taken in Texas, where it is occasion- 
ally found. The Armadillos are at 
home in sparsely grown and sandy 
plains, and in fields on the edges of 
woods, which , however, they never enter. 
During the breeding season they con- 
sort together, but at all other times 
lead solitary lives and show no regard 
for any living thing except as it may 
serve for food. 
Singular as it may appear, Armadil- 
los do not have a regular abiding 
place, and they frequently change 
their homes. They can dig a hole in 
the ground five or six feet deep with 
such expedition that they are able to 
have several places of retreat. The 
hole is circular, at the entrance from 
eight to twenty-four inches wide, and 
at the bottom is a snug chamber large 
enough for them to turn around in. 
They are great night rovers and seldom 
move about by daylight, the glaring 
sunlight dazing them. When seen 
during the day it is always in rainy 
weather when the sky is overcast. It 
has been shown that Armadillos exca- 
vate their burrows under the hills of 
Ants or Termites, where they are able 
to gather their principal food with the 
greatest convenience by day as well as 
by night. Besides the foregoing they 
eat Caterpillars, Lizards, and Earth- 
worms and are thus advantageous to 
the husbandman. Plants also consti- 
tute a part of their diet. 
Armadillos are not agile but are 
remarkably muscular. It is said, to 
avoid their enemies they can cut their 
way into the earth in places which a 
hoe wielded by a strong man can 
pierce with difficulty. The Fatu 
needs only three minutes to drive a 
tunnel exceeding the length of its own 
body. The strongest man is incapable 
of pulling it out by the tail. Once in 
its hole, it is always secure from Dogs. 
When it is seized by Dogs, it never 
defends itself in any way. This is 
probably not from cowardice, but be- 
cause it believes itself secure from 
danger. 
Best of all, the Armadillo is a useful 
animal. The Indians are fond of 
nearly all the species. While it has 
an unpleasant odor of musk, it can be 
prepared for the table ; and some think 
it one of the most palatable of dishes. 
One of the species can roll itself into 
a ball, which, however, it does only in 
extremity. 
In captivity Armadillos are usually 
put in cages with Monkeys, who, if 
they do not precisely reduce them to 
servitude, at least use them as play- 
things. The Monkeys ride their backs 
sportively, turn them over, without 
the danger they might experience from 
Turtles, who are less harmless, and 
cause them no end of worry. The 
Armadillo, with all his coat of mail, 
has a fur lining on his belly, and 
the experienced Dog quickly turns it 
over and makes short work of the 
apparently invulnerable quadruped. 
The Dog quickly crunches the thin 
armour and leaves the poor beast life- 
less. Only the powerful digging claws 
which might, one would think, be 
used in his own defense, remain to tell 
the tale of the only means which nature 
has seemed to provide him with against 
his ememies. 
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