. Animal Life and the World of Nature; A magazine of Natural History. Uncommon Pets 171 burrowing, the armadillo immediately rolls itself up into a ball at the first warning of danger. The Three-Banded Armadillo can roll itself up into a much tighter ball than the six-banded species—to such an extent that a dog or other carnivore is usually unable to grasp it in its teeth, which slip off the glassy surface of the carapace and allow the animated ball to roll away from its mouth. It is possibly owing to this, and to being more purely diurnal in its habits, that this species does not dwell in bur
. Animal Life and the World of Nature; A magazine of Natural History. Uncommon Pets 171 burrowing, the armadillo immediately rolls itself up into a ball at the first warning of danger. The Three-Banded Armadillo can roll itself up into a much tighter ball than the six-banded species—to such an extent that a dog or other carnivore is usually unable to grasp it in its teeth, which slip off the glassy surface of the carapace and allow the animated ball to roll away from its mouth. It is possibly owing to this, and to being more purely diurnal in its habits, that this species does not dwell in burrows as the other species do. The Hairy Armadillo is found in Argentina, and to a very great extent is carnivorous in its tastes, usually preferring the putrid flesh of some dead animal Indeed on the plains it is noticed that the freshly-made burrows of this species are mostly in very close proximity to the carcase of some animal, so that they may be said to be, as it were, scavengers. It is stated that the carnivorous habits of this armadillo often lead to its destruction, as it sometimes partakes of the poisoned meat laid down for the benefit of stray dogs and foxes. It is used sometimes as an article of food, and is hunted with dogs for that purpose. As the carapace shields the body of the armadillo, the dogs seize it by one or other of the projecting parts, either the head or a foot, and hold it until the hunter comes up and kills the creature. It is stated that some very clever dogs put the snout under the carapace of the retreating armadillo and turn the latter upon its back—making it " turn-turtle," as it were—and then seize it by the tender under-parts of the abdomen, when, of course, the armadillo is speedily killed. As the armadillos are very strong and have powerful limbs, the cage in which they are to be kept must be sufficiently large and strong enough to resist any attacks that may be made upon it, especially during the first few weeks of the anima
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