Unlike as the ant-eaters are to the sloths, they are nevertheless very closely related thereto. This unlikeness at the present day is so great that, were it not for "missing links" in the shape of fossils, we should probably never have discovered the relationship. The head of the typical ant-eaters has been drawn out into a long tubular muzzle, at the end of which is a tiny mouth just big enough to permit the exit of a long, worm-like tongue, covered with a sticky saliva. This tongue is thrust out with a great rapidity amongst the hosts of ants and termites and their larvae, on which they prey. These victims are captured by breaking open their nests. At once all the active inhabitants swarm up to the breach, and are instantaneously swept away by the remorseless tongue. The jaws of the ant-eaters are entirely toothless, and the eyes and ears are very small.
The largest species of ant-eater is about 4 feet long. It lives entirely upon the ground. Generally speaking, it is a harmless creature; but at times, when cornered, it will fight furiously, sitting up on it hind legs and hugging its foe in its powerful arms. The tail of this large species is covered with very long hair, forming an immense brush. The claw on the third toe of each fore limb is of great size, and used for breaking open ants' and other insects' nests.
But beside the great ground ant-eater there are some tree-haunting species. These have a shorter muzzle, and short hair on the tail, which is used, as with the spider monkeys, as a fifth limb. Curled round the bough of a tree, it owner is free to swing himself out on another branch.
The smallest of the tree-dwelling species is not larger than a rat, and is a native of the hottest parts of the forests of South and Central America. The muzzle in this species is quite short, not long and tubular, as in the larger species. It is a very rare animal, or is at least very seldom seen, a fact perhaps due to its small size. It is known as the TWO-TOED ANT-EATER, only the second and third fingers of the fore feet bearing claws.
Von Sack, in his "Narrative of a Voyage to Surinam," tells us that the natives of Surinam call this little animal "Kissing-hand" - "as the inhabitants pretend that it will never eat, at least when caught, but that it only licks its paws, in the same manner as the bear; that all trials to make it eat have proved vain, and that it soon dies in confinement. When I got the first, I sent to the forest for a nest of ants; and during the interim I put into its cage some eggs, honey, milk, and meat; but it refused to touch any of them. At last the ants' nest arrived, but the animal did not pay the slightest attention to it either. By the shape of its fore paws, which resemble nippers, I thought that this little creature might perhaps live on the nymphae of wasps, etc. I therefore brought it a wasps' nest, and then it pulled out with its nippers the nymphae from the nest, and began to eat them with the greatest eagerness, sitting in the posture of a squirrel. i showed this phenomenon to many of the inhabitants, who all assured me that it was the first time they had ever known that species of animal to take any nourishment."
