Mohave County miner., 1890-04-05
A NATURAL inoN.cLAo.

We had proceeded perhaps q quarter
sntsring little ossis VI grass smorg
the sand hillocks. Hans stopped short
thinking he heard slight noise near 1t
hand. When II was repeated an In
slant later he stepped softly toward
the spot from which II seemed to come,
and saw q dark object. about rs large
- woodchuck and almost as nat as
Its own shadow. shufding from one tuft
Of grass to another, stopping but . mo-
nent to sniG about the roots Of each,
and thsn trotting away to the next.
Reasoning as I 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, a. fast AZ Its short legs
would carry 1t. He gave chase At once
and soon overlook 1t, but II lodged
suddenly and made oG In another d.
rection. while he ran some distance
past. Recovering himself, he dashed
after II again and bringing bis foot
down fairly on Its back succeeded only
in upsetting himself without stopping
the armadillo. Again and again be
overlook and stoopeS to grasp 1t, but
each time got only handful of sand
and grass. He was rapidly being
winded, while peludo still seemed per-
fectly fresh. and in all probability we
should have lost our game after all. had
not Miguel 1T this juncture brought his
club down on the animals head. ap-
parently killing II outright. 1t was
only shamming, however, and by dig
ging its long claws into the ground was
able for several minutes to defy
Miguel's knife. But eventually vital
spot was found. and ss soon as 1t was
dead we began to examine II curiously.
Including the tail. 1t was not far from
two feet In length, and weighed per-
haps seven or eight pounds. II was
little wonder that Hans's shot had no
effect, for the rounded back was covered
completely with coat Of mail formed
OF cross rows or bands OF thick. bony
plates. 50 hard and smooth that nine
times out of ten they would have turned
Of rife 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 aud
strong. Altogether, IL was rather Q
repulsive-looking beast, and 1t was hard
TO credit the assertions Of Miguel and
the doctor that the flesh ressinbled In
favor that Of young roast pig, and was
even more delicious. This species, the
hairy armadIllo Of the pampas, has no
power to roll itself up In ball which
many Of its relatives possess, but II
attacked often escapes its enemies by
nattening 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, il
sometimes roams about by day. taking
refuge, In case Of necessity, In any
burrow at hand, or, IL surprised where
the soil is moderately soft. it can bur-
row out OF sight and out Of danger In
. few seconds. - Walter b. Barrows, tn
50. Nicholas.