These little animals are called ant-bears, though no respectable father
bear or mother bear would own for a cub such a queer, sharp-nosed,
bushy-tailed creature as this. The ant-bear hasn’t a tooth in his head,
and any little Goldilocks might eat his porridge, sit in his chair, and
lie in his bed as long as she pleased without being afraid of him. The
Creator has given to the ant-bear a taste for insects—he prefers
ants—and has fitted him with a long and prying snout. Out of his mouth
he can dart a very long, threadlike tongue, which is so sticky that the
ant which it touches is caught fast and must go down the red lane,
whether he will or not.
There are various kinds of ant-eating birds and animals on the globe, in
feathers, fur, and scales, but this ant-bear lives in the New World
only. Can you tell in what part of it we should look for him?
[Illustration:
A Pair of Ant-bears.
]