DASYPODIDjE 201 



producing a large number (four to ten) of young at a birth, all the 

 others having usually but one or two. 



The Peba Armadillo, T. novemcincta (Fig. G7), is a well -known 

 species, having an extensive range from Texas to Paraguay. It is 

 replaced in the more southern regions of South America by a smaller 

 species, with shorter tail, the Mulita (T. hybrida), so called from the 

 resemblance of its head and ears to those of a mule. T. kappleri is 

 a large species from Surinam. 



A rare Armadillo from Peru described under the names of Crypto- 

 phractus pilosus and Praopm hirsutus, but which evidently belongs to 

 Tatusia, is of some interest owing to the thick coat of hair with 

 which it is covered. This animal appears to be closely allied to 

 T. novemcincta, from which it mainly differs by having the whole of 

 the carapace covered with a thick coating of light brown, fine, but 

 rather stiff" hair, about an inch and a half in length. Similar hair 

 is found on the cheeks, the proximal portions of the limbs, and 

 (although less abundantly and shorter) on the under surface of the 

 body. The cephalic shield, snout, feet, and the tail, with the 

 exception of the root, are bare. The coating of hair on the back 

 and sides completely conceals the carapace, except near the margin 

 of the scapular region ; but by separating the hairs the bands and 

 scutes are rendered visible. 1 



In the Pleistocene cavern -deposits of Brazil have been found 

 remains of T. novemcincta, and also of T. punctata, which appears to 

 be an extinct form nearly allied to T. Jcappleri, but of somewhat 

 larger size. 



Extinct genera. — In addition to remains referable to existing 

 genera, the above-mentioned deposits have also yielded evidence 

 of the former existence of extinct generic types of Armadillos, 

 some of which attained very large dimensions. Of these Eutatus 

 was a large form distinguished from all existing genera by the 

 circumstance that the whole of the carapace was composed of mov- 

 able bands, which were thirty-three in number. Dasypoiherium 

 was a still larger form, furnished with eight teeth, of which the 

 second seems to have been larger than the others ; this genus is 

 regarded as connecting the modern Armadillos with the next one. 



The gigantic Ghlamydotherw/m, the scutes of which are common in 

 the Brazilian caves, is considered to have been as large as a 

 Rhinoceros ; the carapace has several movable bands, but the teeth 



1 A single imperfect skin, brought from the province of Ceara in Brazil, indi- 

 cates a very remarkable form of Armadillo, named by A. Milne-Edwards Sclero- 

 pleura brunetti {Ann. Sc. Nat. xvi. p. S, 1S72). The dermal scutes are said to 

 be much less developed than in other members of the family, and confined to the 

 sides, all the median portion of the back being clothed with a flexible hairy skin. 

 The head is broad and short, the ears small and far apart. The tail is long, and 

 almost entirely devoid of scutes. The feet are unknown. 



