In France bar-iron, made as it usually is with charcoal, costs three times the price of the cast-iron out of which it is made; whilst in England, where it is usually made with coke, the cost is only twice the price of cast-iron.

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THE NATURALIST.

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THE NINE-BANDED ARMADILLO.

[Illustration:  THE NINE-BANDED ARMADILLO.]

Armadillos are almost exclusively natives of South America, principally of the province of Paraguay.  Some inhabit the forests; others are found in the open country.  There are several species, all of which are invested with a coat of mail, or a kind of plate armour resembling the covering of the pangolin, or scaly ant-eater, and the shell of the tortoise.  This crust or shell covers the upper parts of the animal, and consists of four or five different parts or divisions.  The head may be said to have a helmet, and the shoulders a buckler, composed of several transverse series of plates.  Transverse bands, varying in the different species from three to twelve, which are movable, cover the body; the crupper has its buckler similar to that on the shoulders, and the tail is protected by numerous rings.  The hairs of the body are few, springing from between the plates; the under parts, which are without armour, have rather more hairs.  In a living state, the whole armour is capable of yielding considerably to the motions of the body; the pieces or plates being connected by a membrane, like the joints in a tail of a lobster.  The under parts present a light grainy skin.  The legs are thick and strong, but only long enough to raise the body from the ground; the nails are very powerful, and calculated for digging; and, according to Buffon, the mole is not more expert in burrowing the earth.

Some of the species have nocturnal habits and are very timid, flying to their burrows the moment they hear a noise.  Other species quit their retreat equally by day and night, and these are said not to be so rapid in their motions as the others.  All the species walk quickly, but they can neither leap, run, nor climb; so that, when pursued, they can only escape by hiding themselves in their holes; if these be too far off, the poor hunted creatures dig a hole before they are overtaken, and with their strong snout and fore claws in a few moments conceal themselves.  Sometimes, however, before they are quite concealed, they are caught by the tail, when they struggle so powerfully that the tail often breaks short, and is left in the hands of the pursuers.  To prevent this the hunter tickles the animal with a stick, till it looses its hold, and allows itself to be taken without further resistance.  At other times, when pursued, and finding flight ineffectual, the Armadillos withdraw the head under the edge of the buckler of the shoulders; their legs, except the feet, are naturally