The polar and tropical worlds - a description of man and nature in the polar and equatorial regions of the globe (1874) (14591356520)

Identifier: polartropicalwor00hartuoft (find matches)

Title: The polar and tropical worlds : a description of man and nature in the polar and equatorial regions of the globe

Year: 1874 (1870s)

Authors: Hartwig, G. (Georg), 1813-1880 Guernsey, Alfred Hudson, 1824-1902

Subjects: Arctic peoples Natural history Antarctica Arctic regions Tropics

Publisher: Guelph, Ont. : J.W. Lyon

Contributing Library: Gerstein - University of Toronto

Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

Text Appearing Before Image:

cteropi, or earth-hogs (Aard-varks) as they are called by the boors, fromtheir habit of burrowing and their fancied resemblance to small short-legged pigs, havean elongated head, though less tapering than that of the American myrmecophagi,and are provided with peculiary formed teeth, with a flat crown and undivided root,which is pierced with a multitude of little holes, like those of a ratan-cane when cuttransversely, while the ant-bears have no teeth at all. Their way of feeding is thesame, and to enable them to retain their nimble-footed prey, their tongue is likewiselubricated with a glutinous li(;uid. Their flesh is considered very wholesome and pal-atable, and at the Cape they are frequently hunted both by the colonists and the Hot- THE AARD-VARK—THE ARMADILLO. 609 tentots. There arc several species, all very much resembling each other : their stoutbody measures about five feet from the tip of the snout to the end of the tail, thelatter being nearly half the length of the body.

Text Appearing After Image:

THH AARD-VARE. The American Armadillos have many points in common with ihe myrmecophagi,manides, and oryctcropi. They have neither fnre nor canine teeth, but a number ofconical grinders, and are distinguished by having the upper part of their bodies de-fended by a complete suit of armor, divided into joints or bands, folding one over theother like the parts of a lobsters tail, so as to accommodate themselves to all the mo-tions of the animal. In life this shell is very limber, so that the armadillo is able togo at full stretch, or to roll himself up into a ball as occasion may require. Theseanimals are very common both in the forests and in the open plains of South America,where they burrow in the sand-holes like rabbits. The armadillo is seldom seenabroad during the day, and when surprised he is sure to be near the mouth of his hole;but after sunset he sallies forth in search of roots, grain, worms, insects, and othersmall animals, and when disturbed, coils himself up in his invulner

the polar and tropical worlds 1874 book illustrations zoological illustration arctic regions high resolution images from internet archive canada

1874

University of Toronto

http://commons.wikimedia.org/

public domain