Democratic Sentinel, Volume 11, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 June 1887 — The Funny Armadillo. [ARTICLE]

The Funny Armadillo.

The armadillo lives in South America. His name there is bolito, or “little ball,” because he rolls himself up in his shell so that he can be tumbled about like a ball. The bands of shell are flexible and overlap near the tail; the collar and tail cape are each in one piece, but slightly flexible; the face shield is loose except at the forehead. When alarmed the animal will <url up quickly and hold his shell as tight as a closed oyster shell until the danger is past. His fore feet are made for burrowing, and are not of much use in walking, as he walks on tiptoe. The easiest way for him to get about is to roll, although he stays very close at home. Sometimes a pair of armadillos will have ten babies that keep the parents busy when the babies are weaned. They eat insects principally, but will eat carrion. The monkeys find great pleasure in teasing the armadillos. The shriek of delight when a monkey discovers bolito taking an airing will bring a dozen of the chattering creatures to the spot. They roll him about, poke their fingers into the cracks of hia shell, screech, and scold until tired, but bolito never cheeps or relaxes a muscle until his tormentors leave him. —New York Telegram.