_THE SLOTHS, ANT-EATERS, AND ARMADILLOS._
BY W. P. PYCRAFT, A.L.S., F.Z.S.
The very remarkable assemblage of animals we are now about to consider
includes many diverse forms, bracketed together to constitute one great
group; and this on account of the peculiarities of the structure and
distribution of the teeth, which are never present in the front of the jaw,
and may be absent altogether. Of the five groups recognised, three occur in
the New and two in the Old World. All have undergone very considerable
modification of form and structure, and in every case this modification has
tended to render them more perfectly adapted to an arboreal or terrestrial
existence. Flying or aquatic types are wanting. Whilst one great group--the
Sloths--is entirely vegetarian, the others feed either on flesh or insects.
THE SLOTHS.
[Illustration: _Photo by A. S. Rudland & Sons._
NORTHERN TWO-TOED SLOTH (COSTA RICA).
This is also known as Hoffmann's Sloth. The appellation "two-toed" refers
to the fore limb only. The hind foot has three toes.]
In the matter of personal appearance Nature has not been kind to the SLOTH,
though it is certainly true that there are many uglier animals--not
including those, such as some of the Monkey Tribe and certain of the Swine,
which are positively hideous. The mode of life of the sloth is certainly
remarkable, for almost its whole existence is passed among the highest
trees of the densest South American forests, and passed, too, in a
perfectly topsy-turvy manner, inasmuch as it moves from bough to bough with
its legs up in the air and its back towards the ground. It walks and sleeps
suspended beneath the boughs instead of balanced above them, securely
holding itself by means of powerful hooked claws on the fore and hind feet.
This method of locomotion, so remarkable in a mammal, coupled with the
deliberate fashion in which it moves, and the air of sadness expressed in
its quaint physiognomy--large-eyed, snub-nosed, and earless--on which there
seems to dwell an ever-present air of resignation, led the great Buffon to
believe that the sloth was a creature afflicted of God for some hidden
reason man could not fathom! His sympathy was as certainly wasted as his
hasty conclusion was unjustified. There can be no doubt but that the life
led by the sloth is at least as blissful as that of its more lively
neighbours--the spider monkeys, for instance. Walking beneath the boughs
comes as natural to the sloth as walking on the ceiling to the fly.
The sloth sleeps, as we have already remarked, suspended from a bough.
During this time the feet are drawn close together, and the head raised up
and placed between the fore legs, as in the cobego, which we depicted
asleep on page 170, as our readers will remember. In the sleeping position
the sloth bears a striking resemblance to the stump of a lichen-covered
bough, just as the cobego resembles a fruit. Thus is protection from
enemies gained. The resemblance to lichen is further aided by the fact that
the long, coarse hair with which the sloth is clothed becomes encrusted
with a peculiar green alga--a lowly form of vegetable growth--which lodges
in certain grooves or flutings peculiar to the hair of this animal. Such a
method of protection is unique amongst the Mammalia. As the sloths sleep by
day and feed by night, the usefulness of such a method of concealment is
beyond question.
[Illustration: _Photo by L. Medland, F.Z.S._] [_North Finchley._
THREE-TOED SLOTH.
A remarkable peculiarity about the three-toed sloths is the fact that they
have no less than nine vertebræ in the neck, instead of seven, as is usual
among mammals.]
The strange form of locomotion of the sloths renders separate fingers and
toes unnecessary, and so the fingers and toes have come to be enclosed in a
common fold of skin, extending down to the base of the claws.
The sloths stand out in strong contrast to the volatile spider monkeys,
with whom they share the forest; these have added a fifth limb in the shape
of a prehensile tail, by which they may suspend themselves at will. The
sloths, on the contrary, have no tail; they move deliberately, and do not
require it. The monkeys move by prodigious leaps, taken not seldom by
gathering impetus by swinging on their tails.
The great naturalist Bates writes of the sloth: "It is a strange sight to
watch this uncouth creature, fit production of these silent shades, lazily
moving from branch to branch. Every movement betrays, not indolence
exactly, but extreme caution. He never loses his hold from one branch
without first securing himself to the next.... After watching the animal
for about half an hour, I gave him a charge of shot; he fell with a
terrific crash, but caught a bough in his descent with his powerful claws,
and remained suspended. Our Indian lad tried to climb the tree, but was
driven back by swarms of stinging ants; the poor little fellow slid down in
a sad predicament, and plunged headlong into the brook to free himself."
On another occasion the same writer tells us he "saw a sloth swimming
across a river at a place where it was 300 yards broad. I believe it is not
generally known that this animal takes to the water. Our men caught the
beast, cooked and ate him."
In past ages gigantic ground-sloths roamed over South America. The largest
of these, the Megatherium, rivalled the elephant in size. Descendants of
these giants appear to have lingered on till comparatively recent times, as
witness the wonderful discovery by Moreno, made during last year (1900) in
a cave in Patagonia. This was nothing less than a skull and a large piece
of the hide of one of these monsters in a wonderful state of preservation,
showing indeed undoubted traces of blood and sinew. That the hide was
removed by human hands there can be no doubt, for it was _rolled up_ and
turned inside-out. Immediately after this discovery was announced, an
expedition was dispatched from England to hunt, not so much for more
remains, but for the animal itself. Time will show whether these efforts
will prove successful.
THE ANT-EATERS.
Unlike as the ant-eaters are to the sloths, they are nevertheless very
closely related thereto. This unlikeness at the present day is so great
that, were it not for "missing-links" in the shape of fossils, we should
probably never have discovered the relationship. The head of the typical
ant-eaters has been drawn out into a long tubular muzzle, at the end of
which is a tiny mouth just big enough to permit the exit of a long
worm-like tongue, covered with a sticky saliva. This tongue is thrust out
with great rapidity amongst the hosts of ants and termites and their larvæ,
on which they prey. These victims are captured by breaking open their
nests. At once all the active inhabitants swarm up to the breach, and are
instantaneously swept away by the remorseless tongue. The jaws of the
ant-eaters are entirely toothless, and the eyes and ears are very small.
The largest species of ant-eater is about 4 feet long. It lives entirely
upon the ground. Generally speaking, it is a harmless creature; but at
times, when cornered, it will fight furiously, sitting up on its hind legs
and hugging its foe in its powerful arms. Bates, the traveller-naturalist,
relates an instance in which a dog used in hunting the GREAT ANT-EATER was
caught in its grip and killed. The tail of this large species is covered
with very long hair, forming an immense brush. The claw on the third toe of
each fore limb is of great size, and used for breaking open ants' and other
insects' nests.
[Illustration: _Photo by Scholastic Photo. Co._] [_Parson's Green._
THE GREAT ANT-EATER.
In walking the ant-eater turns its toes inwards, so that the claws turn
upwards and inwards, the weight of the body being borne by a horny pad on
the fifth toe, and the balls of the third and fourth toes.]
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.
[Illustration: _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.
The bony armour is disposed over the crown of the head, back, and flanks.
It is made up of numerous small, bony plates, buried deep in the skin, and
each overlaid by a horny scale. The tail is protected by bony rings. The
plates covering the shoulders and those directly over the hindquarters fuse
into a solid mass, thus forming chambers into which the limbs can be
withdrawn. In the region of the body, between these two shields, the plates
are arranged in rows encircling the body, thus permitting the animal to
roll itself up as occasion may require. Hairs grow out between the plates,
and in some cases give the animal quite a furry appearance.
[Illustration: _Photo by A. S. Rudland & Sons._
TWO-TOED ANT-EATER.
Although the fore feet have four toes, only the second and third bear
claws; hence the name "Two-toed" Ant-eater.]
Speaking of the burrowing powers of the armadillo, Darwin, in his most
fascinating "Voyage of the Beagle," tells us that "the instant one was
perceived, it was necessary, in order to catch it, almost to tumble off
one's horse; for in soft soil the animal burrowed so quickly that its
hinder quarters would almost disappear before one could alight. It seems
almost a pity to kill such nice little animals; for as a Gaucho said, while
sharpening his knife on the back of one, 'Son tan mansos' (They are so
quiet)." As a rule, armadillos are regarded as animals loving dry, sandy
wastes; nevertheless, they are said to be able to swim both well and
swiftly. The flesh of the armadillo is apparently by no means unpalatable.
THE PICHICIAGO.
One of the most remarkable of the armadillos is the PICHICIAGO, or FAIRY
ARMADILLO. It is a tiny creature of some 5 inches long, found in the sandy
wastes of the western part of the Argentine Republic. The horny covering of
the bony plates is pinkish colour, and the hair is silky in texture and
snow-white. But it is not on this account that the fairy armadillo is
remarkable: its claim to notoriety rests on the peculiar arrangement of the
bony plates constituting the armour. These bony plates are small and thin,
and covered, as in other species, with a horny coat; but instead of being
embedded in the skin, they are attached only along the middle of the back,
and project freely over the body on either side, leaving a space between
the shield and the body. The hinder end of the body is specially protected
by a nearly circular vertical shield, firmly fixed to the hip-girdle. This
shield, it is said, is used as a plug to fill up its burrow with.
THE PELUDO.
Armadillos of the normal type, wherein the body armour is embedded in the
skin, are represented by numerous species. Of one, known as the PELUDO, Mr.
Hudson has given us some interesting details. "It feeds," he tells us, "not
only upon insects, but also upon vegetable matter, eggs, young birds, and
carrion. Its method of capturing mice was certainly ingenious. It hunted by
smell, and when nearing its prey became greatly agitated. The exact spot
discovered, the body was raised slowly to a sitting posture, and then flung
suddenly forwards, so that the mouse or nest of mice was imprisoned
beneath, and promptly dispatched." "Still more remarkable," says Mr.
Lydekker, "is the manner in which a peludo has been observed to kill a
snake, by rushing upon it and proceeding to saw the unfortunate reptile in
pieces by pressing upon it closely with the jagged edges of its armour, and
at the same time moving its body backwards and forwards. The struggles of
the snake were all in vain, as its fangs could make no impression upon the
panoply of its assailant, and eventually the reptile slowly dropped and
died, to be soon afterwards devoured by the armadillo, which commenced the
meal by seizing the snake's tail in its mouth, and gradually eating
forwards."
[Illustration: _Photo by York & Son_] [_Notting Hill._
WEASEL-HEADED ARMADILLO.
The weasel-headed armadillos have from six to eight movable bands in the
bony armour in which they are encased.]
[Illustration: _Photo by L. Medland, F.Z.S._] [_North Finchley._
HAIRY-RUMPED ARMADILLO.
This species, like the Peba Armadillo, varies its diet with carrion.]
THE PANGOLINS.
The PANGOLINS, or SCALY ANT-EATERS, are perhaps even more curious creatures
than the armadillos. They have been likened in appearance to animated
spruce fir-cones, to which indeed they bear a strange resemblance. This
resemblance is due to the wonderful armature of the skin, which takes the
form of large overlapping, pointed, horny plates or scales. The pangolins
are confined to the Old World, occurring in South Africa and South-eastern
Asia. Like the American Ant-eaters, teeth are wanting, and the tongue is
long and worm-like, being employed in the capture of insects, as in the New
World ant-eaters.
The scales of the MANIS are formed by the fusion together of fine hairs.
Like the spines of the hedgehog and porcupine, they serve the purpose of
offensive defence; for when the manis rolls itself up, these pointed scales
project at right angles to the body, and offer a formidable resistance to
any enemy whatsoever. They also serve to break the force of a fall, which,
indeed, is often voluntary; for should the animal wish to descend from the
branch of a tree, it will often take a short cut to the ground by
deliberately dropping, the force of the fall being entirely broken by the
elastic scales.
In climbing, the tail is of the greatest service, its under-surface being
clothed with pointed scales, which serve as so many climbing-hooks. The
grasp of a tree-trunk gained by the hind legs and tail is so secure that
the body can be moved to a horizontal position with ease. In a specimen
kept in captivity by Mr. Fraser, this horizontal movement was a form of
exercise which appeared to afford the greatest pleasure.
[Illustration: _Photo by L. Medland, F.Z.S._] [_North Finchley._
PEBA ARMADILLO.
This species lives largely upon carrion, which it buries in its burrow till
wanted.]
[Illustration: _Photo by York & Son_] [_Notting Hill._
KAPPLERS' ARMADILLO.
This is a variety of the Peba Armadillo, inhabiting Surinam.]
THE AARD-VARK.
The custom of naming newly discovered animals after well-known forms to
which they are supposed to bear some resemblance, physically or otherwise,
is a common one. The animal now under consideration shows this once more,
having originally received the name of AARD-VARK (Earth-pig) from the Boers
of the Cape. The aard-vark is a most decidedly ugly animal, and justifies
its name in several particulars. It is hunted for the sake of its hide,
which is of great thickness and resembles that of the pig, but is sparsely
covered with hairs, the general shape of its body being not unlike that of
a long-headed, short-legged, heavy-tailed pig. The whole animal is about 6
feet long. In a wild state, or even in captivity, it is but rarely seen,
since it is a night-feeder, and passes the day in sleep deep down in a
burrow. This burrow it digs for itself with the aid of powerful claws borne
on the fore feet. It lives principally on ants and termites, breaking down
their nests, and remorselessly sweeping up the frightened occupants with a
long, sticky tongue, as soon as they rush to the seat of the disturbance
which has broken up the harmony and order of their community. At one time
it was believed that the aard-vark was a close ally of the pangolin, but
later researches have disproved this, and have furthermore thrown doubt
upon the probability of its relationship with any of the members of this
group of mammals at all.
There are two species of this animal--the CAPE AARD-VARK of South and
South-east Africa, and the ETHIOPIAN AARD-VARK of North-east Africa.
[Illustration: _By permission of the Hon. Walter Rothschild_] [_Tring._
CAPE AARD-VARK.
The ants upon which the aard-vark largely subsists appear to be very
fattening, and impart a delicate flavour to the flesh, especially to the
hams, which are greatly esteemed.]
Where the nest-building ants are most common, there will the aard-vark--or
Innagus, as the Boers sometimes call it--be most plentiful. The nests of
these ants are huge structures of from 3 to 7 feet high, and often occupy
vast areas of ground, extending as far as the eye can reach. They are
substantially built, and swarm with occupants, and consequently are quite
worth raiding. But the aard-vark has become much less common since a price
has been set upon its skin. The powers of digging of these animals are so
great that they can completely bury their large bodies in a few minutes,
even when the ground has been baked by the sun into something like
adamantine hardness. In excavating their burrows, the ground is thrown out
by the fore feet, in huge lumps, through or rather between the hind legs.
Shy and suspicious, the least unusual sound will send them scuttling to
earth, for their sense of hearing is very keen. They seem to change their
minds somewhat frequently, when engaged in digging out a new burrow; for
half-excavated burrows in the side of ant-hills are very commonly met with.
A fully grown aard-vark is about 6 feet long--generally rather more.
Although this animal is frequently kept in captivity, it is but rarely seen
by visitors, owing to its nocturnal habits, of which we have already
spoken.
The teeth of the aard-vark are sufficiently remarkable to justify notice
here. Only the crushing teeth are represented--that is to say, the front or
cutting teeth are conspicuous by their absence. These crushing teeth number
from eight to ten in the upper and eight in the lower jaw, on each side;
but in the adult fewer would be found, the number being reduced to five in
each side of the jaws--that is to say, there are but twenty all told. In
structure these teeth are quite remarkable, differing entirely from those
of all other mammals, and resembling those of some fishes; furthermore,
they have no "roots," but instead grow continually throughout life, which
"rooted" teeth do not.
[Illustration: _Photo by Billington_] [_Queensland._
THE GREAT GREY KANGAROO.
The massive hind limbs and tail of the animal constitute, in its
characteristic resting pose, a most efficient supporting tripod.]
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