Mr. Grew first described this animal from a skin preserved in the
cabinet of the Royal Society in London. All the other armadillos have
two bucklers, one on the shoulders, and the other on the rump, but
this has but one, which is upon his shoulders. He is called the weasel
armadillo, because his head is nearly of the same form as a weasel.
From the description of this animal given by Grew, it appears, that
his body is about ten inches in length, his head three, and his tail
five; the legs two or three inches in height; the forehead large and
flat, small eyes, and the ears an inch long, he has five toes on each
foot, the three in the middle being the largest. The armour of the
head and legs is composed of round scales, about a quarter of an inch
diameter, that on the neck consisted of one piece, as did the buckler
on the shoulders composed of several rows of scales like those of the
armour; these rows on the buckler, in this species, as in all others
are continuous, and join by a symphysis. The rest of the body, from
the buckler on the shoulders to the tail, is covered with moveable
bands, parted from each other by a supple membrane: these bands are
eighteen in number; those nearest the shoulders are the largest, and
are composed of small squares. The posterior are intermixed with round
and square pieces, and the extremity of the armour near the tail is of
a parabolic figure. The first half of the tail is encircled with six
rings, composed of small square pieces, and the lower part is covered
with irregular scales. The breast, belly, and ears, are naked, as in
the other species. It should seem that, of all armadillos, this has
the most facility to contract and roll himself up in a ball, by his
moveable bands which extend to the tail.
Linnæus who must have seen the descriptions of Grew and Ray, who both
agree with that we have given, has indicated this animal with one
band only, instead of eighteen: founded on an evident mistake, by
having taken the _tatu seu armadillo Africanus_ of Seba for the _tatu
mustelinas_ of Grew, which even according to the descriptions of these
two authors, are very different from each other. It is doubtful whether
the tatou of Seba exists, at least as he has described him, but the
animal given in Grew's description is a real existing species.
All the armadillos come originally from America; they were unknown
before the discovery of the New World. The ancients never mentioned
them, and modern travellers all agree, that these animals are natives
of Mexico, Brasil, Guiana, &c. and no one pretends to have seen this
species in Asia or Africa. Some have, indeed, confounded the scaly
lizards of the East Indies with the armadillos of America. Others
thought they existed on the western coasts of Africa, because they have
sometimes been transported from Brasil into Guinea. Bellon, who wrote
above two centuries ago, and is one of the first who has given a short
description, with the figure of a tatou, from a skin which he had seen
in Turkey, says, that it came from the new continent. Oviedo, De Lery,
Gomara, Thevet, Ant, Herrera, Father d'Abbeville, François, Ximenes,
Staddenius, Monard, Joseph Acosta, De Laët, and all the more recent
authors mention these animals as natives of the southern countries of
America. Piso is the only one who has pretended, without any authority,
that the armadillos were found in the East Indies, as well as in
America; and it is probable, that he has confounded the scaly lizards
with the armadillos, especially as they have been so called by the
Spaniards; this error has been adopted by nomenclators, and those who
have given descriptions of cabinets; who have not only admitted the
existence of armadillos in the East Indies, but even in Africa, though
none were ever in those two parts of the world, except such as have
been transported from America.
The climate of these animals is not therefore, equivocal; but it is
more difficult to determine the relative bulk of each species. For
this purpose we have compared great numbers which are preserved in
the king's cabinet and those of others. We have also compared the
descriptions of all authors with those of our own, without being able
to ascertain the fact. It appears that the twelve and six banded are
the largest, and that the three, eight, nine, and eighteen banded
are the smallest. In the larger species the crustaceous substance is
harder and more solid; the pieces which compose it are larger, and in a
smaller number; the moveable bands encroach, less one upon the other;
the flesh, as well as the skin, is harder, and not so savory. Piso
says, that the flesh of the six banded is not eatable; and Nieremberg
affirms, that it is unwholesome and pernicious. Barrere says, that the
twelve banded has a strong smell of musk; and all authors agree in
praising the flesh of the three banded, and particularly that of the
eight, which is as white, and equally good as the flesh of a pig. They
say also, that the small species dwell in marshy and low grounds, and
that those of the large species are found on dry and high lands only.
These animals can all contract their bodies into a round form, with
more or less facility. When they are contracted the defects of their
armour is most visible in those who have it composed of the smallest
number of pieces; the three banded then shews two large voids betwixt
the bucklers and the armour on the back. None of them can roll
themselves up in a ball so exact as that formed by the hedge-hog; when
so contracted they represent the figure of a globe flattened at the two
ends.
This singular crust, which covers them, is a bone composed of small
contiguous pieces, and being neither moveable nor jointed, except at
the partitions of the bands, are united by a symphysis, and may all
be separated from each other if put on the fire. When the animal is
alive these small pieces, both of the bucklers and the moveable bands
yield to his motions, especially when he contracts himself, otherwise
he could not possibly roll himself up. These pieces in different
species are of different figures always as regularly disposed as an
elegantly contrived mosaic work. The pellicle which covers the crust is
a transparent skin, and has the effect of a varnish on the whole body;
this skin, when taken off, changes the relievo of this natural mosaic,
and gives it a different appearance. This crustaceous covering is only
a surface independent of the interior parts of the animal's body, his
bones, and other organs, being composed like those of other quadrupeds.
The armadillos, in general, are innocent, harmless animals, unless they
can penetrate into gardens, where they will eat the melons, potatoes,
pulse, and roots. Though they originally belong to the hot climates of
America, they live in temperate regions. I once saw one in Languedoc,
which was fed in the house, and went about every where without doing
any mischief. They walk quickly, but they can neither leap, run, nor
climb up trees, so that they cannot escape those who pursue them; they
have no resource but to hide themselves in their holes, or if at too
great a distance from their habitations, to endeavour to dig one before
they are overtaken, for which they want but a few instants, the mole
itself not being more expert in digging the ground. Sometimes before
they can get quite concealed they are caught by the tail, and when they
make such a strong resistance that the tail is often broke without
bringing out the body; in order to take them without mutilation the
burrow must be opened, when they are taken without any resistance; when
caught they roll themselves up into a ball, and will not extend again
unless they are placed near the fire. Hard as their coat of mail is,
the animal, on being lightly touched with the finger, receives so quick
an impression that he contracts instantaneously. When in deep burrows
they are forced out by smoking them, or letting water run down the
holes. It is said that they remain under ground above three months in
the year; be that as it may, it is certain that they never come out of
their holes but in the night, when they seek for food. The armadillo is
hunted with small dogs, by whom he is soon overtaken; but before they
have reached him he contracts himself, in which condition he is seized,
and carried off. If near the brink of a precipice, he escapes both
dogs and hunters, for contracting he rolls himself down like a ball,
without hurt or prejudice to his coat of mail.
These animals are fat, and very prolific: the male has exterior signs
of great generative faculties; the female brings forth, as it is said,
every four months, of course their species are very numerous. As they
are good to eat they are hunted in different manners; they are easily
taken with snares laid for them on the banks of rivers, and in marshy
grounds, which they inhabit by preference. They never go to any great
distance from their burrows, which are very deep, and which they
endeavour to reach whenever they are alarmed. It is pretended they are
not afraid of the bite of the rattle snake, though it is as dangerous
as that of the viper; nay, it is asserted, that they live in peace with
these reptiles, which are often found in their holes. The savages make
different uses of their crusts; they paint them with divers colours,
and make baskets, boxes, and other small vessels, of them. Monard,
Ximenes, and many other writers, have attributed great medicinal
properties to different parts of these animals; they assure us that the
crustaceous covering, reduced into powder, and taken inwardly, even in
a small quantity, is a powerful sudorific; and that the bone of the
hip, pulverised, cures the venereal disease; that the first bone of
the tail, applied to the ear, cures deafness, &c. We give no credit to
these extraordinary properties; the crust and bones of the armadillos
being of the same nature as the bones of other animals. Such marvellous
effects are never produced but by imaginary virtues.