DASYPODID^E 199 



all very small ; those in the anterior half of each scries being strongly 

 compressed, with flat sides and a straight free edge ; the posterior 

 ones are more nearly cylindrical, with flat truncated, free surfaces. 

 Vertebrae: C 7, D 12, L 3, S 10, C 23. Head small, elongated, 

 conical. Ears moderate, ovate. Carapace with 12-13 movable 

 bands. Tail nearly equal to the body in length, gradually tapering, 

 closely covered with quadrangular scales, arranged in a quincunx 

 pattern. Fore feet with five toes, formed on the same plan as those 

 of A"' 11 urns, but with the claw of the third of still greater size, and 

 that of each of the others, especially the fifth, proportionately reduced. 

 Hind foot short and rounded, with five very short toes, with short, 

 broad, flat, obtuse nails. The only known species, the Great 

 Armadillo (P. gigas), is by far the largest of existing members of the 

 family, measuring rather more than 3 feet from the tip of the nose 



to the root of the tail, the tail being about 20 inches long. It 

 inhabits the forests of Surinam and Brazil. The powerful falcate 

 claws of its fore feet enable it to dig with great facility. Its food 

 consists chiefly of termites and other insects, but it is said to attack 

 and uproot newly -made graves for the purpose of devouring the 

 flesh of the bodies contained in them. 



TnJjipeufcs. 1 — Teeth § or -|, rather large in proportion to the size 

 of the skull, the hinder end of the series reaching nearly to the 

 posterior margin of the palate. Vertebra?: C 7, D 11, L 3, S 12, 

 C 13. Ears placed low on the sides of the head, rather large, 

 broadly ovate. Carapace Avith its scapular and pelvic shields very 

 free at the sides of the body, forming large chambers into which the 

 limbs can be readily withdrawn. Only three movable bands ; 

 sculpture of scutes in the form of subconcentrically arranged 

 granules. Tail short, conical, covered with large bony tubercles. 

 The fore feet formed on the same type as in the last genus, but the 

 peculiarities carried out to a still greater extent. The claw of the 

 third toe is very long and falcate, the first and fifth greatly reduced 

 and sometimes wanting. On the hind foot the three middle toes 

 have broad, flat, subequal nails, forming together a kind of tripartite 

 hoof ; the first and fifth much shorter, with more compressed 

 nails. 



The Armadillos of this genus have the power of rolling them- 

 selves up into a perfect ball, the shield on the top of the head and 

 the tuberculated dorsal surface of the tail exactly fitting into and 

 rilling up the apertures left by the notches at either end of the 

 carapace. This appears to be their usual means of defence when 

 frightened or surprised, as they do not burrow like the other 

 species. They run very cpiickly, with a very peculiar gait, only 

 the tips of the claws of the fore feet touching the ground. Three 

 species are described: — T. fririncfus, the Apar ; T. conwus, the 

 1 Illiger, Prodromus Syst. Mamm. ct Avium, p. Ill (1811). 



