IN FEATHERS AND FUR. 31 
the ground, and so fast will he do this, with those enormous claws 
of his, that it is nearly impossible for men to catch him. If he 
has not time to do this he can roll himself into a ball, in such a snug 
way as to leave no part of his body unprotected by the mail. In 
this position he can be rolled about, but no animal can get inside of 
the wonderful shield. 
For a house to live in, and bring up the little stiff backed babies, 
the Armadillo digs a nice snug nursery, with several passages lead- 
ing to it. In fact, when you look at those strong legs and long 
claws, you can easily believe that he digs just because he likes to, 
as a rat gnaws for the fun of it, and to keep his teeth worn off. 
Members of this family generally eat insects and other animal 
food, and are very useful as scavengers in disposing of dead ani- 
mals. They have no front teeth, but some of them have enough 
others to make up ; the Great Armadillo has nearly a hundred. 
It is not very common to see these animals, even in their own 
country, for they only come out at night, prowling around and eat- 
ing all they can find in the dark. With the first streak of light 
they go home to sleep all day. 
It is a serious business to dig one out of his home. The pas- 
sages are long and winding, and as soon as he is in danger of being 
caught he will burrow away for dear life. 
When the hunter wishes to dig one out, the first thing is to 
find out if he is at home. How do you suppose he goes to work? 
He just runs a stick into the hole, and then watches closely. If 
any mosquitoes come out, he knows the Armadillo is at home, and 
at once proceeds to dig, but if not, he gives it up at once. 
I think it is the meanest thing I ever heard about mosquitoes 
— and I have never heard any good about them — that they not 
only torment the poor fellow, but are the first to give notice to the 
hunter when he is to be found. 
In South America this odd looking fellow is eaten, roasted in 
his own shell. The Giant Armadillo is sometimes three feet long, 
and in some parts of America fossil bones have been found of an 
Armadillo ten feet long besides the tail. 
He is not the only creature that nature has dressed in coat of 
mail. Here's another, even odder than the Armadillo. He is 
called the Short Tailed Pengolin or Manis — sometimes also scaly 
Lizard. You wouldn't have thought his tail was particularly short, 
would you? you would if you had seen the long tailed Manis. 
V 
