But besides the great ground ant-eater there are some tree-haunting species. These have a shorter muzzle, and short hair on the tail, which is used, as with the spider monkeys, as a fifth limb. Curled round the bough of a tree, its owner is free to swing himself out on to another branch.
Photo by A. S. Rudland & Sons.
TAMANDUA ANT-EATER.
This species, which is a smaller animal than the Great Ant-eater, lives almost entirely in the trees, instead of on the ground.
The smallest of the tree-dwelling species is not larger than a rat, and is a native of the hottest parts of the forests of South and Central America. The muzzle in this species is quite short, not long and tubular, as in the larger species. It is a very rare animal, or is at least very seldom seen, a fact perhaps due to its small size. It is known as the Two-toed Ant-eater, only the second and third fingers of the fore feet bearing claws.
Von Sack, in his "Narrative of a Voyage to Surinam," tells us that the natives of Surinam call this little animal "Kissing-hand"—"as the inhabitants pretend that it will never eat, at least when caught, but that it only licks its paws, in the same manner as the bear; that all trials to make it eat have proved in vain, and that it soon dies in confinement. When I got the first, I sent to the forest for a nest of ants; and during the interim I put into its cage some eggs, honey, milk, and meat; but it refused to touch any of them. At last the ants' nest arrived, but the animal did not pay the slightest attention to it either. By the shape of its fore paws, which resemble nippers, I thought that this little creature might perhaps live on the nymphæ of wasps, etc. I therefore brought it a wasps' nest, and then it pulled out with its nippers the nymphæ from the nest, and began to eat them with the greatest eagerness, sitting in the posture of a squirrel. I showed this phenomenon to many of the inhabitants, who all assured me that it was the first time they had ever known that species of animal take any nourishment."
The Armadillos.
Readers of this book will doubtless have noticed long ere this how manifold are the devices for the purpose of defence adopted by the Mammalia. The Armadillos have certainly selected the most complete, having encased themselves in an impenetrable bony armour as perfect as the coat of mail of the warrior of the Middle Ages. Concerning this and the variations thereon adopted by the different members of the group we shall speak presently.
Armadillos are mostly confined to South America, and occur both in the open pampas and the shady depths of the forest. They live in burrows, which they dig with incredible speed. These burrows are generally found in the vicinity of the nests of ants and termites, which form their staple diet. One species, however, at least feeds apparently with equal relish upon vegetable matter, eggs, young birds, mice, snakes, and carrion.