I received the drawing of a six-banded armadillo, taken from life, from
M. de Séve, and with it a description; in which, after stating that it
corresponds pretty much with that we have given, observes, that the
rows on the bucklers, and their pieces, vary in form and number: this
animal was fourteen inches long, independent of the tail, which he
supposed to be about six inches, as part of it was broken off; his head
was rather more than three inches long, and his ears a little above
one; on the broadest part of the body the crust measured six inches
seven lines; the fore legs were two inches long, and his hind ones
three.
M. de la Borde says, there are two species of Armadillos at Guiana,
the largest black and the other a greyish brown; the former are so
prolific as sometimes to bring forth eight or ten at a litter: they
reside in very deep holes, and when any attempts are made to take
them by digging, they penetrate further in the earth, and almost
perpendicularly; they only quit their holes in the night, and then for
the purpose of seeking for food, which commonly consists of worms,
ants, and wood-lice; their flesh is of an excellent flavour, and
resembles that of a pig. The small one has not more than four or five
young at a time, and they are more hard to be taken; these sometimes
come out of their holes in the day, but never when it rains. The
hunters know when they are in their holes by the number of flies which
hover round: and when they begin to dig the animal digs also, and by
throwing the earth behind, so effectually closes up the holes that
smoke cannot penetrate to them. I conceive the first of these animals
to be that we have mentioned, as the twelve-banded, and the other the
eight-banded armadillos.
Dr. W. Watson has given a description of an armadillo with nine bands,
and a long tail, (_fig. 128._) in the Philosophical Transactions,
where he says, This animal was brought from America, and kept alive
in the house of Lord Southwell; but the drawing was not taken till
after its death; he weighed seven pounds, and was not bigger than
a common-sized cat; while in possession of Lord Southwell it grew
considerably; it was fed with flesh and milk, but would not eat grain
or fruits. Those by whom it was brought from America asserted, that it
dug a hole for itself in the earth in which it lived.
_Engraved for Barr's Buffon._
[Illustration: FIG. 129. _Paca._]
[Illustration: FIG. 132. _Marine Opossum._]
[Illustration: FIG. 130-131. _Virginian Opossum Male and Female._]