The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1880-05-15
A South Amsrisau Uurio:i.y.


a note was received at the New York
World Office recently, reading; pCome and
see remarkable curiosity at The Aqua
rum, The reporter who answered this
eall walked along through straw and was
Just about TO put his feet down into what
appeared to be bundle Of old hav when
the proprietor observed: "That's the curl.
osity-don't step on III The hay began
70 move with much delibetatiou, and fheru
was slowly elevated a long, wide fan. which
went TO tho rear 10 serve az tail. Aphnt
animal, said its proprietor, Charles Reiche.
dis an ant-bear.p The bear rose en III
legs, showing wonderfully elongated and
narrow head. 1t Is thickly covered with
long coarse hair which on the tail Is half
way betweenthe filaments Of heavy plume
and the sticks Of fan. The tail q used
oy the bear with commendable ineenuitv
as blanket, being for that purpose brought
around hali-circle and spread lust suii.
clently to entirely cover the body. Be.
sides serving as cover for warmth Il hides
the animal. Hunters not accustomed d
the forests Of Brazil which the hear
inhabits step on il without knowing that
IL il a curiosity. The color Is brown
washed with grey on the head and face
aud intersperssd with pure white hairs on
the head aud hinder limbs. The throat 4
very black, and long, Triangular. black
marx crosses the animal from the throat
passing obiIquely over the shoulders.
measuring from the tip Of the snout To
the endo the tail, the bear is Just triHe
more than 9 feet in length. The head
alone Is ! and the tail feet long. The
bear has iour toes on the fore-feet and Eve
on the hinder feet The claws on the fore.
feet are extremely long and curved and az
no uso in walking. They are used US a
means OF defense against stronger animals.
II they once are implanted in the flesh Of
human being the wound is apt to prove
fatal They are apt also not TO come out.
50 that tho dying man can kill the bear Ii
he desires to. The bear has found that the
safest way is to wind It's snake-like head
around the body Of its foe. Its hug i mar !.
ticuiarly powerful. The bear turned ia
claws inward upon thick, rough palm,
and walked on tho outer edge Of the fore
feet in lazy, awkward manner 10 a boy
two feet away. The only indications Of
intelligence II displayed was in scrapiue
away the straw for bed. Ii cannot wa TX
long The bear came from Para by the
schooner Thomas Williams. Its owner,
Mr. Reiche, has had standing offer for
the last ten years to all the captains sail.
ing from New York TO Brazil 10 nav 4
good sum for a live antlbear, and this ami.
NAL is the only one ever brought TO the
United States. Capt. Edwards secured I
while It was sleeping, which il is very ca
pable at. Mr. Reiche is negotiating to sell
It to the German geological Garden Com
pany 10 Berlin for $500. He says thal
no geological garden in the world possesse,
J live ant-bear. The London Garder
could keep one for only week. Il die,
in the garden.
Mr.. keiche feeds the bear with extreme
iy hoely-scraped beef mixed with eggs an,
sugar Every schoolboy, particularly |
he has read Mayne Reid with proper all
: lgence, remembers the picture Of the ami
E bear arsweeping up thousand live ants with
tongue nearly two feet long. This tongu.
which is covered with saliva, is most q
ieetive ant-trap. Mr.. Reiche fed the bea
while the World man was present. A
first it did not take kindly to the chang
Of diet, aud basin Of ant eggs soaked /
lukewarm water was brought. The bea
ate half Of the meat BY tapping up the egg
9 much the some as dogs eat. Turning /
the dish of scrapsd meat it placed the ii
) OF its tongue oa the plate and returning
TO its mouth without partakiDg Of the food
The bear then stood upon her feet, an
leaning its head down vertically spread 4
, tongue over the straw and made a shri
noise like q tin whistle and hobbled bac
:, to its bed.