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The more noted species are known by different names as the Tatou Poyou, the Giant Tatou, the Peba, the Pichiciago, the Pichey, the Hairy Tatou, the Mataco, the Apara, and such like designations. It may be added, that the armadilloes dwell in districts very dissimilar.
The transition from the "beast of Meris" on the one hand to the common typidentate mammalian ancestor, and on the other hand to the elephants, is easy, and requires no effort of the imagination. On the other hand, the whales, the sloths, ant-eaters, and armadilloes, as also the Marsupials, are called Variodentata, because we cannot derive their teeth from those of the Typidentate ancestor.
"I saw that the animal which had so astonished my companion was one of those curious living things which Nature, in giving variety to her creatures, has thought proper to form and which are known throughout Mexico and South America by the name of `armadilloes. They are so called from the Spanish word `armado, which signifies armed because all over their body there is a hard, shell-like covering divided into bands and regular figures, exactly like the coats-of-mail worn by the warriors of ancient times.
Their church is also distinguished in the country by some rude paintings which adorn its walls. A narrow border encloses figures of armadilloes, caymans, jaguars, and other animals peculiar to the new world. In this village lives a labourer, Francisco Lozano, who presented a highly curious physiological phenomenon. This man has suckled a child with his own milk.
Some few species alone have passed the barrier, and may be considered as wanderers from the south, such as the puma, opossum, kinkajou, and peccari. South America is characterized by possessing many peculiar gnawers, a family of monkeys, the llama, peccari, tapir, opossums, and, especially, several genera of Edentata, the order which includes the sloths, ant-eaters, and armadilloes.
As this point was the most exposed on the whole line, twenty-one soldiers were stationed here; at sunset they returned from hunting, bringing with them seven deer, three ostriches, and many armadilloes and partridges.
Our fellows looked very sulky at our refusal, though they were afraid to go alone; so we ordered them to shove off, and proceeded on our voyage, leaving the slain peccaries to become the food of jaguars and pumas, or armadilloes and vultures, which, before the nest day's sun arose, would devour the whole of them.
Some confidential agent private police you know what I mean? 'A man of any delicacy, replied Earwaker, with grave countenance, 'would feel bound by such a promise to personal exertion. 'Right; quite right! I didn't mean it; of course I shall hunt conscientiously. Oh, I say; I have brought over a couple of armadilloes. Would you like one? 'Stuffed, do you mean? 'Pooh! Alive, man, alive!
They are then barely distinguishable from the Condylarthra and Creodonta, and seem only recently to have issued from a common ancestor with those groups. In the course of the Tertiary we find them especially in South America, which was cut off from the North and its invading Carnivores during the Eocene and Miocene developed into large sloths, armadilloes, and anteaters.
Bahia Blanca Geology Numerous gigantic Quadrupeds Recent Extinction Longevity of species Large Animals do not require a luxuriant vegetation Southern Africa Siberian Fossils Two Species of Ostrich Habits of Oven-bird Armadilloes Venomous Snake, Toad, Lizard Hybernation of Animal Habits of Sea-Pen Indian Wars and Massacres Arrow-head, antiquarian Relic.
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