The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-03-15
A NATURAL iRorA.cLAp.
How Nature Has Protected tho Arnse
tlll1o of tthe Pamyas.

How Nature Has Protected tho Armss
diIlo OF fthe Pampas.
We had proceeded perhaps quarter
OF mile without incident, when, on
entering little oasis of grass among
the sand hillocks, Hans stopped short,
thinking he hoard slight noise near at
hand. When it was repeated an instant
later, he stepped softly toward the spot
from which 1t seemed to come, and saw
dark object, about as large as wood
chuck and almost as fat as its own
shadow, shutting from one tuft of grass
to another, stopping but moment to
sniff about the roots of each, and then
trotting away to the next. Reasoning
as l had done the previous night, he
leveled his gun and pulled the trigger
just as the peludo emerged from the
shadow into the full light of the moon.
Rushing forward through the smoke to
pick up the game, he was amazed to see
the peludo scudding away unhurt, as
fast as its short legs would carry it. He
gave chase at once and soon overlook 1T,
but it lodged suddenly and made off in
another direction, willie he ran some
distance past. Recovering himself, he
dashed after 1t again, and bringing his
foot down fairly on its back succeeded
only in upsetting himself without
stopping the armadillo. Again and
again he overlook and stopped to
grasp it, but each time got only hand
full of sand and grass. He was rapidly
being winded, while the peludo still
seemed perfectly fresh, and in all proba-
bility we should have lost our game
after all, had not Miguel at this juno
ture brought his club down on the ami
mails head, apparently killing 1t out
right. 1t was only shamming, however,
and by digging its long claws into the
ground was able for several minuses to
defy Miguels knife. But eventually
vital spot was found, and as soon as 1T
was dead we began to examine it Curl
ously. Including the tail, it was not far
from two feet in length, and weighed
perhaps seven or eight pounds. 1t was
little wonder that Hans shot had no ef-
feet, for the rounded back was covered
completely with coat of mail formed
of cross rows or bands of thick, bony
plates, so hard and smooth that nine
times out of ten they would have turned
off rifle bullet. The seams or lines of
skin between the bands were almost
hidden by the overlapping of the plates,
and were thinly sprinkled with coarse
hair. This became more abundant on
the belly and legs. The teeth, which
grew only on the sides of the jaws, were
of small size, but the feet were armed
with large claws. Those on the fore
feet were especially long and strong.
Altogether, 1T was rather a repulsive-
looking beast, and it was hard to credit
the assertions of Miguel and the Doctor
that the flesh resembled in flavor that
of young roast pig, and was even more.
delicious. This species, the hairy arma-
dillo of the pampas, has no power to roll
itself upin ball which many of its rela-
tives possess, butif attacked often escapes
its enemies by hattening itself close
against the ground and feigning death.
During hot weather it seldom ventures
abroad by day, but searches at night for
its food of roots and insects. In winter,
however, or in dull, dark weather, it
sometimes roams about by day, taking
refuge, in case of necessity, in any bur-
row at hand, or, il surprised whore the
soil is moderately soft, it can burrow out
of sight and out of danger in few sec
onds.-Walter B. Barrows, in st. Nicho-