Gilpin observer., 1913-09-18
South African Animal That Digs
Hole and Disappears.
Aafd-vark Has Only RudImsntsry
Teeth With Legs Like Those Of
the kanearoo--speeimsns Very
Hard to Secure.

Hard to Secure.
New York.-Did you ever see an
aard-vark? asks q writer in the New
York World. Perhaps you know II
better by its Latin name. orycteropus
No? They haven't got one in the 70
illogical collection in Bronx park, nor,
30 far as the writer has been able
to learn. In any of the famous ZOOS or
menageries of the world. Fer the
aard-vark is delicate animal. accord
ing to Curator Ditmars, and not easily
acclimated.
The aard-varth was thought to be a
myth until the Dutch and English be-
gan to settle Africa. 1t was first de-
scribed by P. Kolbe in 1742 in an ac-
count Of his travels in Cape Colony.
but Button called in question his de-
scription. However, this is known to
be accurate.
The Paris museum has just received
an orycteropus. which 1t has had
stuffed and placed on exhibition.
There are three species. and that in
Paris is the excessively rare Orycter.
opus Ethiopicus from the regions OF
the Blue Nile and Abyssinia The
commonest species is that which is
found in eastern and southern Africa
as far north as Angola. The third
species is peculiar to Senegambia.
The aard-vark belongs to the order
of Edentata. 30 called because its
members are either toothless or have
only rudimentary or defective teeth.
1t Is a cousin of the ant bears, the
armadilloes and the pangolins OF
South America. 1t is about six feet
long, including the tail. and about
twenty inches high Its back lie
arched. its head long and ending IN
a snout like pigs. only sharper and
longer Its forelegs are short. its hind
legs much larger. like those of a kan
garoo. and its tail ia heavy and almost
as long as its body. Its ears are long
and erect. like an ass. 1t has small
piggy eyes. very thick skin. like a
pigs. covered with sparsely scattered
hair. and yellow all over
Its tonge is very long. extensive and
always covered with a gummy saliva
1t protrudes from a mouth that Is lit
tie more than a round hole. The
young animal has eight molars in the
upper jaw and six in the lower. but
the adult has only five above and four
below. and all Of these are rudiamen-
tary.
The Ethiopian species lives In the
dessert. always near ant hills. for the
ants are its food. In the daytime II
stays curled up and asleep in a bur
row which 1t closes behind It. 1t digs
a hole even In the hardest ground
with incredible rapidity and disap
pears In a few moments, for the four
toes on its front feet are armed with
strong claws which 1t plies rapidly
scooping out the earth and throwing
1t behind itself In a great cloud oi
dust.
At night 1t emerges and goes out
hunting for ant hills. AS soon as Il
has found one II makes sure that nc
danger ts menacing. then II lies down
with its snout against the ant hill
puts out its tongue as far as 1t car
and waits. Soon its tongue is covered
with ants. caught like flies on sticky
fypaper. Then 1t draws in its tongue
chews up the ants and begins again.
1t 10 very timid and SO keen of cal
that II catches every faint sound. Al
the slightest alarm It digs a hole and
buries itself. II never attacks any
thing but insects. yet when attacked
It defends itself with its powerful
claws In . way that makes 1t danger
Gus.
When surprised by the hunter it ai
most always has its head and sAoul
ders In . hole. and 1t takes 20 tight {
grip ON the earth that II the hunte,
tries to pull It forth he 10 almost or
tain to fail
Its flesh 10 highly pr1sed IN Africs
and It 10 said to taste like pork. Il II
easily tanned in its native land, and
in the days Of Egypt's ancient great
ness must have been . pet for ladies
~ on the tomb Of Abd-el-0ournah ol
the nineteenth dynasty there \
craven . picture OF . nobieWomau
with an oryctsropus following her liks
. dog.