[Three Hundred Animals Contents]
IS nearly as big as a pretty large dog, with soft brown hair, a small mouth, a long cylindrical tongue, which is generally folded in the mouth, and supplies the want of teeth. The snout is, comparatively to the body, greater than in any other quadruped, measuring the third part of the whole length; he feeds on ants, and catches them by laying his glutinous tongue across the path, frequented by them, and drawing it back when a sufficient number has been entangled in its viscosity. The Ant-Eaters are naturally dull, slothful, and timid, and live in Africa, Asia, and America. There are several species of these animals distinguished by the names of great, middle-size, less, and striped Ant-Eaters, but the above stated character is common to all of them.