The Great Ant-Bear—His Way of Licking up Termites1—His Formidable Weapons—A Perfect Forest Vagabond—His Peculiar3 Manner of Walking—The Smaller Ant-Eaters—The Manides—The African Aard Vark—The Armadillos—The Porcupine4 Ant-Eater of Australia.
The great Ant-bear is undoubtedly5 one of the most extraordinary denizens6 of the wilds of South America, for that a powerful animal, measuring above six feet from the snout to the end of the tail, should live exclusively on ants, seems scarcely less remarkable8 than that the whale nourishes his enormous body with minute pteropods and medusæ. The vast mouth of the leviathan of the seas has been most admirably adapted to his peculiar food, and it was not in vain that Nature gave such colossal9 dimensions to his head, as it was necessary to find room for a gigantic straining apparatus10, in which, on rejecting the engulphed water, thousands upon thousands of483 his tiny prey11 might remain entangled12; but the ant-bear has been no less wonderfully armed for the capture of the minute animals on which he feeds, and if, on considering the use for which it was ordained13, we become reconciled to the seeming disproportion of the whale’s jaws14, the small and elongated15, snout-like head of the ant-bear will also appear less uncouthly16 formed when we reflect that it is in exact accordance with the wants of the animal. For here no deep cavity was required for the reception of two rows of powerful teeth, as in most other quadrupeds, but a convenient furrow17 for a long and extensile tongue—the use of which will immediately become apparent on following the animal into the Brazilian campos, where, as we have seen in a former chapter, the wonderful cities of the white ant are dispersed18 over the plains in such incalculable numbers. Approaching one of these structures, the ant-bear strikes a hole through its wall of clay, with his powerful crooked19 claws, and as the ants issue forth20 by thousands to resent the insult, stretches out his tongue for their reception. Their furious legions, eager for revenge, immediately rush upon it, and vainly endeavouring to pierce its thick skin with their mandibles, remain sticking to the glutinous21 liquid with which it is lubricated from two very large glands22 situated23 below its root. When sufficiently24 charged with prey, the ant-bear suddenly withdraws his tongue and swallows all the insects.
Without swiftness to enable him to escape from his enemies, for man is superior to him in speed; without teeth, the possession of which would assist him in self-defence; without the power of burrowing26 in the ground, by which he might conceal27 himself from his pursuers; without a cave to retire to, the ant-bear still ranges through the wilderness28 in perfect safety, and fears neither the boa nor the jaguar29, for he has full reliance on his powerful fore2-legs and their tremendous claws.
Richard Schomburgh had an opportunity of witnessing a young ant-bear make use of these formidable weapons. On the enemy’s approach it assumed the defensive30, but in such a manner as to make the boldest aggressor pause, for, resting on its left fore-foot, it struck out so desperately31 with its right paw as would undoubtedly have torn off the flesh of any one that came in contact with its claws. Attacked from behind, it484 wheeled with the rapidity of lightning, and on being assailed32 from several quarters at once, threw itself on its back, and desperately fighting with its fore-legs, uttered at the same time an angry growl33 of defiance34. In fact the ant-bear is so formidable an opponent that he is said not unfrequently to vanquish35 even the jaguar, the lord of the American forests, for the latter is often found swimming in his blood, with ripped-up bowels36, a wound which, of all the beasts of the wilderness, the claws of the ant-bear are alone able to inflict37.
On seizing an animal with these powerful weapons, he hugs it close to his body, and keeps it there till it dies through pressure or hunger. Nor does the ant-bear, in the meantime, suffer much from want of aliment, as it is a well known fact that he can remain longer without food than perhaps any other quadruped, so that there is very little chance indeed of a weaker animal’s escaping from his clutches.
Peaceable and harmless, the ant-bear when unprovoked never thinks of attacking any other creature; and as his interests and pursuits do not interfere38 with those of the more formidable denizens of the wilderness, he would, without doubt, attain39 a good old age, and be allowed to die in peace, if, unfortunately for him, his delicate flesh did not provoke the attacks of the large carnivora and man. To be sure, the Indian fears his claws, and never ventures to approach the wounded ant-bear until he has breathed his last; nor can he be hunted with dogs, as his skin is of a texture40 that perfectly41 resists a bite, and his hinder parts are effectually protected by thick and shaggy hair; yet, armed with the wourali poison, the wild hunters know how to paralyse in a few minutes his muscular powers, and to stretch him dead upon the earth. They have also recourse to stratagem42 for the animal’s destruction, for during rain it turns its long bushy tail up over its back and stands still. Knowing this, the Indians when they meet with one, rustle43 the leaves, and it thinks rain is falling, and turning up its tail, they take the opportunity of killing44 it by a blow on the head with a stick.
A perfect forest vagabond, the ant-bear has no den7 to retire to, nor any fixed45 abode46; his immense tail is large enough to cover his whole body, and serves him as a tent during the night, or as a waterproof47 mantle48 against the rains of the wet485 season, so that he might boast, like Diogenes, of carrying all he required about him.
The peculiar position of his paws, when he walks or stands, is worthy49 of notice. He goes entirely50 on the outer side of his fore-feet, which are quite bent51 inwards, the claws collected into a point and going under the foot. In this position he is quite at ease, while his long claws are disposed of in a manner to render them harmless to him, and are prevented from becoming dull and worn, which would inevitably52 be the case did their points come in actual contact with the ground, for they have not that retractile power which is given to animals of the feline53 race, enabling them to preserve the sharpness of their claws on the most flinty path. In consequence of its resting perpetually on the ground, the whole outer side of the foot is hard and callous54, while, on the contrary, the inner side of the bottom of the foot is soft and hairy.
Besides the great ant-bear, there are two other species of American ant-eaters, one nearly the size of a fox, and the smallest not much larger than a rat. Being provided with prehensile55 tails, they are essentially56 arboreal57, while the great ant-bear, incapable58 of climbing, always remains59 on the ground, where, thanks to the abundance of his prey, he is always sure of obtaining a sufficient supply of food, with very little trouble.
The Manides, and Pangolins, of South Africa and Asia, resemble the ant-eaters of America in having a very long extensile tongue, furnished with a glutinous mucus for securing their insect food, and in being destitute60 of teeth; but completely differ from them in having the whole body covered with a panoply61 of large imbricated scales, overlapping62 each other like those of the lizard63 tribes, and also in being able to roll themselves up when in danger, by which their trenchant64 scales become erect65, and present a formidable defensive armour66 of wonderful hardness, so that even the tiger would vainly attempt to overcome the Indian Pangolin.
The manides are inoffensive animals, living wholly on ants and termites, and chiefly inhabit the most obscure parts of the forest, burrowing in the ground to a great depth, for which purpose, as also for extracting their food from ant-hills and decaying wood, their feet are armed with powerful claws, which they double up in walking, like the ant-bear of Brazil.
486
AARD VARK.
Besides several species of manides, Africa possesses a peculiar class of ant-eaters in the Aard varks, or Earth-hogs (Orycteropi), thus called from their extraordinary powers of excavation67 and their fancied resemblance to small short-legged pigs. Such is the strength of their prodigious68 claws that they easily tear to pieces the clay-built domes69 of the termites; which, though so solid as to be capable of bearing the weight of many men on their summits, are unable to resist the destructive labours of the Aard vark. Towards evening the animal issues from its burrow25, and roaming over the plains, searches for an ant-hill in full operation. A breach70 is soon made in the strong walls of the citadel71, and as the unfortunate termites run hither and thither72 in consternation73, like the inmates74 of a beleaguered75 city whose ramparts are crumbling76 under the487 enemy’s artillery77, the author of this confusion flings his glutinous tongue among them and sweeps them into his mouth by hundreds. The Aard varks abound78 all over the sultry plains of torrid Africa, but owing to their great burrowing powers the capture of a living specimen79 is attended with the greatest difficulty; the claws being instruments of excavation with which the spade is unable to compete. Unless disturbed, however, and forced to dig deeper through fear of capture, the Aard vark, being averse80 to unnecessary trouble, makes but a shallow burrow—sufficiently deep, however, not seldom to cause the wheels of a waggon81 to sink into it, or to prove a treacherous82 pitfall83 to a hunter in full chase.
The American Armadillos have many points in common with the Manides. They have neither fore nor canine84 teeth, but a number of conical grinders, and are distinguished85 by having the upper parts of their bodies defended by a complete suit of armour, divided into joints86 or bands, folding one over the other like the parts of a lobster’s tail, so as to accommodate themselves to all the motions of the animal. In life, this shell is very limber, so that the armadillo is able to go at full stretch, or to roll himself up into a ball as occasion may require. These animals are very common both in the forests and in the open plains of South America, where they reside in subterranean87 homes which they have dug with their powerful fore-limbs. They are seldom seen abroad during the day, and when surprised are sure to be near the mouth of their holes; but after sunset they sally forth in search of roots, grain, worms, insects, and other small animals, and when disturbed, coil themselves up in their armour like the hedgehog, or squat88 close to the ground, or escape by digging into the earth, a work which they perform with masterly dexterity89. So fast indeed do they excavate90 that if a horseman sees one of these animals, he must almost tumble from his steed if he wishes to capture the active creature. And when he has seized it he must be cautious not to come into contact with its feet, or he will suffer severe wounds from the powerful claws with which they are armed.
The family of the armadillos has been subdivided91 into numerous genera and species, distinguished from each other by the number of their shelly bands, their teeth, and their toes. They might also be conveniently divided into two tribes, the488 one with a long and conical tail, the other with a short caudal appendage92, formed like a club. They differ greatly in size, for while the giant armadillo (Priodontes gigas) is at least four feet long from the tip of the snout to the tip of the tail, the Pichiciago (Chlamyphorus truncatus), which inhabits the province of Mendoza in the Andes, and is remarkable for its mole-like propensities93, passing the greatest part of its life underground, scarcely measures six inches in length.
PICHICIAGO.
PORCUPINE ECHIDNA.
The curious Echidna, or Porcupine Ant-eater (Echidna hystrix) of Australia, is a striking instance of those beautiful gradations so frequently observed in the animal kingdom, by which creatures of various tribes or genera are blended as it were, or linked together, and of the wonderful diversity which Nature has introduced into the forms of creatures destined94 to a similar mode of life. It has the general appearance and external coating of the porcupine, with the mouth and peculiar generic95 characters of the ant-eaters.489 It is about a foot in length, and burrows96 with wonderful facility by means of its short muscular fore-feet and its sharp-pointed claws. When attacked, it rolls itself into a ball like the hedgehog, erecting97 the short, strong, and very sharp spines98 with which the upper parts of the body and tail are thickly coated, and thus presenting a formidable defensive armour to its assailant.
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1
termites
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| n.白蚁( termite的名词复数 ) | |
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fore
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| adv.在前面；adj.先前的；在前部的；n.前部 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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porcupine
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| n.豪猪， 箭猪 | |
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undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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denizens
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| n.居民，住户( denizen的名词复数 ) | |
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den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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colossal
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| adj.异常的，庞大的 | |
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apparatus
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| n.装置，器械；器具，设备 | |
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prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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entangled
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| adj.卷入的；陷入的；被缠住的；缠在一起的v.使某人（某物/自己）缠绕，纠缠于（某物中），使某人（自己）陷入（困难或复杂的环境中）( entangle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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ordained
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| v.任命（某人）为牧师( ordain的过去式和过去分词 )；授予（某人）圣职；（上帝、法律等）命令；判定 | |
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jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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elongated
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| v.延长，加长( elongate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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uncouthly
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furrow
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| n.沟；垄沟；轨迹；车辙；皱纹 | |
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dispersed
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| adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的 | |
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crooked
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| adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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glutinous
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| adj.粘的，胶状的 | |
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glands
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| n.腺( gland的名词复数 ) | |
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situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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burrow
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| vt.挖掘(洞穴)；钻进；vi.挖洞；翻寻；n.地洞 | |
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burrowing
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| v.挖掘（洞穴），挖洞( burrow的现在分词 )；翻寻 | |
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conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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wilderness
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| n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠 | |
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jaguar
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| n.美洲虎 | |
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defensive
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| adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的 | |
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desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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assailed
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| v.攻击( assail的过去式和过去分词 )；困扰；质问；毅然应对 | |
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growl
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| v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣 | |
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defiance
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| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
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vanquish
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| v.征服，战胜；克服；抑制 | |
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bowels
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| n.肠，内脏，内部；肠( bowel的名词复数 )；内部，最深处 | |
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inflict
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| vt.(on)把…强加给，使遭受，使承担 | |
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interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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attain
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| vt.达到，获得，完成 | |
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texture
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| n.(织物)质地；(材料)构造；结构；肌理 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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stratagem
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| n.诡计，计谋 | |
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rustle
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| v.沙沙作响；偷盗(牛、马等)；n.沙沙声声 | |
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killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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abode
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| n.住处，住所 | |
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waterproof
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| n.防水材料；adj.防水的；v.使...能防水 | |
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mantle
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| n.斗篷，覆罩之物，罩子；v.罩住，覆盖，脸红 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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inevitably
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| adv.不可避免地；必然发生地 | |
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feline
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| adj.猫科的 | |
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callous
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| adj.无情的，冷淡的，硬结的，起老茧的 | |
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prehensile
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| adj.（足等）适于抓握的 | |
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essentially
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| adv.本质上，实质上，基本上 | |
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arboreal
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| adj.树栖的；树的 | |
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incapable
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| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
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remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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destitute
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| adj.缺乏的；穷困的 | |
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panoply
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| n.全副甲胄，礼服 | |
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overlapping
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| adj./n.交迭（的） | |
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lizard
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| n.蜥蜴，壁虎 | |
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trenchant
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| adj.尖刻的，清晰的 | |
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erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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armour
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| （=armor）n.盔甲；装甲部队 | |
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excavation
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| n.挖掘，发掘；被挖掘之地 | |
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prodigious
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| adj.惊人的，奇妙的；异常的；巨大的；庞大的 | |
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domes
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| n.圆屋顶( dome的名词复数 )；像圆屋顶一样的东西；圆顶体育场 | |
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breach
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| n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破 | |
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citadel
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| n.城堡；堡垒；避难所 | |
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thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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consternation
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| n.大为吃惊，惊骇 | |
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inmates
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| n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 ) | |
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beleaguered
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| adj.受到围困[围攻]的；包围的v.围攻( beleaguer的过去式和过去分词)；困扰；骚扰 | |
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crumbling
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| adj.摇摇欲坠的 | |
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artillery
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| n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队) | |
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abound
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| vi.大量存在；(in，with)充满，富于 | |
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specimen
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| n.样本，标本 | |
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averse
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| adj.厌恶的；反对的，不乐意的 | |
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waggon
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| n.运货马车，运货车；敞篷车箱 | |
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treacherous
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| adj.不可靠的，有暗藏的危险的；adj.背叛的，背信弃义的 | |
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pitfall
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| n.隐患，易犯的错误；陷阱，圈套 | |
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canine
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| adj.犬的，犬科的 | |
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85
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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86
joints
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| 接头( joint的名词复数 )； 关节； 公共场所（尤指价格低廉的饮食和娱乐场所） （非正式）； 一块烤肉 （英式英语） | |
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87
subterranean
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| adj.地下的，地表下的 | |
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squat
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| v.蹲坐，蹲下；n.蹲下；adj.矮胖的，粗矮的 | |
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89
dexterity
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| n.(手的)灵巧，灵活 | |
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90
excavate
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| vt.挖掘，挖出 | |
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91
subdivided
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| 再分，细分( subdivide的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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appendage
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| n.附加物 | |
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93
propensities
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| n.倾向，习性( propensity的名词复数 ) | |
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94
destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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95
generic
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| adj.一般的，普通的，共有的 | |
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96
burrows
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| n.地洞( burrow的名词复数 )v.挖掘（洞穴），挖洞( burrow的第三人称单数 )；翻寻 | |
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erecting
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| v.使直立，竖起( erect的现在分词 )；建立 | |
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spines
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| n.脊柱( spine的名词复数 )；脊椎；（动植物的）刺；书脊 | |
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