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ARMADILLO

the Duke of Parma, who was lying there with 35,000 men. Forces were then to be landed on a different part of the English coast, while the Armada kept the Channel clear.

Meanwhile, the English had not been idle. Drake, by a bold dash at the Spanish fleet in the port of Cadiz, had delayed the attack, and when the news came that the great fleet was about to sail, forces gathered around the Earl of Leicester to oppose the landing of Parma, while the best mariners of the age, Drake, Hawkins, Frobisher and others gathered around the English Admiral Howard. They took their station at Plymouth, and, as the Spanish fleet sailed up the Channel, in the form of a crescent, seven miles long, the English took their place to windward. The next day the Spaniards attacked, but the English ships were managed with such skill that no harm could be inflicted. Dismayed at their failure, they stood off up the Channel, pursued and harassed by the English, and cast anchor at Calais. From here they were driven by means of fireships out into the open sea, a large number of ships were destroyed and almost the whole fleet was forced on the coast of Flanders. The hopes of the Spaniards were now broken, and they resolved to give up the expedition. Rather than go back through the vigilantly guarded lines of their persistent enemies, they set out on the perilous voyage by the North Sea; but the fierce northern gales scattered the fleet and drove them on the coast of Ireland and Scotland, where those escaping from the wreck were killed by the natives. Of the vast Armada only a shattered remnant of fifty-four vessels, with about ten thousand men, reached Spain.

Armadil'lo, a curious animal of burrowing habits, living in Mexico, Central and South America. It sometimes crosses the Mexican border into southern Texas. It is covered by an armor of bony plates, which are so jointed, that when annoyed

the animal can roll itself into a ball for protection. Notwithstanding its short legs, it is said to be able to outrun a man, and can bury itself in an incredibly short time by the use of its long, powerful claws. It is about thirty inches in length; in color, brownish-black marked with yellow, and underneath a yellowish-white. It is an habitual digger, makes its burrows in the dry soil of arid regions, comes forth chiefly at night. It feeds on insects, worms, roots, fruit and sometimes carrion. In the woods aad pampas large numbers are found,.

YELLOW-FOOTED ARMADILLO

Ar'mature, pieces of soft iron or other magnetizable substance placed as the *4Keepers" at the extremities of poles of magnets to preserve their magnetic power, by completing the magnetic circuit through the two poles when the electric current is sent through their coils. The armature in a dynamo is the coil of wire in which the current is generated.

Arme'nia, formerly a large country of western Asia, is now divided between Turkey, Russia and Persia. Its boundaries have been changed much, but in general it extends north and south from the Caucasus to the mountains of Kurdistan and east and west from the Caspian Sea to Asia Minor. From very early times a distinction was made between Greater Armenia, east of the Euphrates, and Lesser Armenia, lying to the west. Greater Armenia is usually meant when speaking of Armenia. It is mostly a high tableland, 7,000 feet above the level of the sea. Mt. Ararat is the only lofty peak. Its main rivers are the Tigris and the Euphrates. The country is naturally fertile; but now much of it is uncultivated. During its prosperity it had many flourishing towns, and its capital for centuries was Armavir. The Armenians became free from Macedonia in 317 B. C. Before that nothing really certain is known of their history, though it has recently been asserted that the Hittites were their ancestors. Since then, though at times ruled by their own kings, the greatest of whom were Valarsaces, a brother of the Parthian Mithradates the Great, and Tig-ranes II, their history is in the main one of conquest. Syria, Mark Antony, Persia, the Greek empire, the Mohammedans, the Mamelukes, the Kurds, the Turks, Timour the Great and the Russians have at different times conquered Armenia in whole or in part. The Armenians, once a warlike people, are now noted for their peaceful character. The area of modern Armenia and Kurdistan is 71,990 square miles, with a population estimated at nearly two and one half millions. Chief town, Erzerum, population, 80,000.

Armin'ius, prince of the Cherusci, a German tribe, was born about 18 B. C., and died by assassination in 21 A. D. When a boy he became a Roman citizen and served as a soldier in the Roman army. Coming home, he found the whole country stirred up by the cruelties of Varus, the Roman governor, and became the head of a conspiracy. He induced the Roman general to scatter his troops in small detachments, saying that it would keep better order among the Germans. News of the conspiracy caused Varus to march into the interior. Arminius struck the match, the scattered Roman troops were murdered, and the main body was surrounded. They fought their way for three days, till