EDENTATA. 165 



C. truncatus, KsLrl.(\) which, is five or six inches in length, 



and is found in the interior of Chili, where it passes the most 



of its time under ground. 



It appears that the fossil bones of a Tatou of gigantic size, being 



ten feet long exclusive of the tail, have been found in America. See 



Cuv. Oss. Foss. V. part 1, p. 191, note. 



OrycteropuSj GeofF.(2) 



The animals of this genus were for a long time confounded with the 

 Ant-Eaters on account of their using the same kind of food, having 

 a similar head, and a tongue somewhat extensible ; but they are dis- 

 tinguished from them by being furnished with grinders and flat 

 nails, formed for digging and not trenchant. The structure of their 

 teeth differs from that of all other quadrupeds; they are solid cy- 

 linders traversed like reeds, in a longitudinal direction, with an infini- 

 tude of little canals. Their stomach is simple, and muscular near 

 the pylorus, their csecum small and obtuse. There is only one spe- 

 cies known. 



Oryct. capensis ; Myrmecophaga capensis, Pall.; Buff". Supp. 

 VI, xxxi. (The Cape Ground-Hog.) So called by the Dutch 

 of that colony. It is an animal about the size of the Badger or 

 larger ; stands low; has short hair, and is of a brownish-grey. 

 The tail is not so long as the body, and is covered with equally 

 short hairs. It has four toes before, and five behind. Inhabits 

 burrows, which it excavates with great facility. The flesh is 

 eaten. 



The other ordinary Edentata have no grinders, and conse- 

 quently no teeth of any description. They also form two 

 genera. 



MyrmecophagAj Lin. 



The Ant-Eaters arc hairy animals with a long muzzle terminated 

 by a small toothless mouth, from which is protruded a filiform tongue 

 susceptible of considerable elongation, and which they insinuate into 

 Ant-hills and the nests of the Termites, Avhence these Insects are 

 withdrawn by being entangled in the viscid saliva that covers it. 

 The nails of the fore feet, strong and trenchant, and varying in num- 

 ber according to the species, serve to tear up the nests of the Ter- 

 mites, and aff'ord the means of defence. When at rest, these nails are 



(1) Its osteology, as given by M. Yarrel, (Zool. Journ. No. 12,) is closely allied 

 to that of the Cabassous. Over each eye-brow there is a singular ridge. 



(2) Oryderopus, feet fitted for digging. 



