The last group of the Armadillos, the _Tolypeutes_, contains some remarkable species, which have the power of rolling themselves up as in a ball-shape, and they walk in a most extraordinary manner on the tip of long and powerful front claws, and also on the flat and tip of the hind ones. THE BALL ARMADILLO.[79] This is a small and very beautifully ornamented Armadillo, which has three free central bands and a short tail, with large fore and aft shields. It rolls itself up on the slightest alarm, so that the great shoulder and croup shields meet, the head and tail fitting in exactly, in front, so as to close up the body very safely. The little animal, which is rarely more than fifteen inches long, and has a tail of a couple of inches in length, is found in Brazil, Paraguay, and Buenos Ayres, and its walking on the long, stout claws of the fore legs gives it a very curious and unsteady appearance. It is an active, sprightly, light-footed little thing, according to Dr. Murie, and is constantly on the move, going here and there with much vivacity. Poising itself on tiptoe, it trots backwards and forwards as if on some urgent errand. In captivity the food was raw meat, boiled eggs, and bread-and-milk. In the forest land, where it dwells along with its fellow armoured creatures, it has the advantage of being able to curl itself up, and to present no tangible part of its body to the host of mischievous Monkeys of its locality. The other Armadillos, when retiring to their holes, are often set upon by their lively quadrumanous neighbours, and are dragged out by the tail with great gusto; but the little Tolypeutes curls himself up and laughs at the disappointed Monkeys, who can find nothing to pull at about him. [Illustration: BALL ARMADILLO.] The shoulder shield comes down like a flap, far in front, and the croup extends behind in the same way, and they and the bands have large scales, which are very pretty in shape and ornament. The shields are very stout, and so is the skeleton within. The fore foot has three large clawed toes, on the tips of which the animal walks. The thumb of the fore extremity is to be seen in the skeleton, but is not always visible in the skin, and it is very small and high up; the index is long, and the claw also, and it is slightly bent, but sharp at the tip. The next claw is the largest and longest, and has a cutting edge at the back and outer part, and the point is sharp. The next digit is smaller. In the hind foot there are five toes, one being high up and rudimentary, and the second and third having broad, flat, curved, short nails, the third being the greatest. The fourth nail is smaller, and they are all placed more or less flatly on the ground.