DASYPUS, the armadillo, in natural history, a genus of Alammalia of the order Bruta. Generic character : no tusks ; grinders short and cylindrical, and seven or eight in each jaw ; body covered with a shelly armour, intersected by circles. These animals chiefly inhabit South A merica, where they burrow like rabbits in the ground, and live principally upon roots and fruits. They exhibit a singular difference from other quadrupeds, in that testaceous substance which covers them completely, and yet is so admirably adapted to their frame, by its minute in tersections, as by no means to interfere with flexibility or quick movement. When attacked, they roll themselves up into the compactness of a ball ; thus pre senting to the enemy almost impenetra ble armour. They repose by day, and at night quit their habitations for food. They are perfectly inoffensive. In a state of confinement they will devour with con siderable appetite animal food, for which in a state of nature they do not appear to have any relish. They drink most co piously, and are often found extremely fat. • They are regarded as a very great
luxury for the table, and are not unfre quently dug from their burrows to be sold for food : for this purpose, however, they should always be taken young. Their claws are of uncommon size and strength, and enable them to form their subterraneous habitations with extreme facility. Shaw reports, that the female produces three or four times in a year.; and Gmelin states, that she produces eve ry month. It is ascertained, therefore, that they are highly prolific. It is the practice of naturalists to define the dif ferent species by the different number of testaceous circles in the body. Gmelin enumerates ten species, and Shaw six. This extraordinary variety among qua drupeds deserves the particular attention of naturalists, who do not appear to have so clearly defined the several species, or to have collected so many particulars of the manners and habits of the animal in general, as its most singular structure ex cites a desire to be informed of.