PREVIOUS TO THE LAST GEOLOGICAL IlEVOLUTION. 109 



to that of Zahnarm, or " ill-provided with teeth ; " because 

 we not only find in this very Order, the greatest number of 

 teeth yet known in mammals {Dasypus Gigas having ninety- * 

 six), but also every variety of teeth ; namely, molars in all, 

 except Myrmecophaga and Manis ; canines in Choloepus and 

 Bradypus ; incisors in Euphractus and Chlamydotherium. 

 If we are determined to give this order a name, taken from 

 the dental system, it cannot possibly be derived from any other 

 peculiarity than the simple structure of the teeth ; and we 

 might in that case call this order, Simplicidentata. But I 

 much prefer Linnaeus' name, Bruta, which he has character- 

 ized by the absence of incisors ; notwithstanding that he was 

 compelled to admit some forms not strictly belonging to the 

 order, from the indeteraiinateness of this character. In addi- 

 tion to the authority and antiquity of this appellation, it has 

 the further recommendation of signifying the imperfect or- 

 ganization of the animals. I translate it by the term Sloths, 

 or slow animals ; and I think it scarcely possible to find in 

 their structure or habits any point more characteristic of the 

 whole order, than that signified by this title. For the first 

 family of this order which we have to consider, I have hitherto 

 followed Illiger's name, Vermilinguia ; which, with him, 

 likewise includes the genus Orycteropus. But further consi- 

 derations, connected with my discoveries in the fossil Fauna, 

 having convinced me of the correctness of Cuvier's views, in 

 placing this animal among the armadilloes, Illiger's term be- 

 comes inapplicable, particularly as another genus [Echidna), 

 also possessing the same description of tongue, must be ex- 

 cluded from this family. However, forasmuch as the genera 

 belonging to this family are the only mammals entirely with- 

 out teeth, or any substitute for them, I think it impossible to 

 employ for them any name more applicable than that of 

 Edentata^ or teethless animals. For further details on this 

 subject, I beg to refer to a paper in the ' Monthly Journal of 

 Literature' for 1832, &c.J 



First Family, Edentata, Teethless. 



This family consists at present of two principal genera, 

 Manis and Myrmecophaga : the former of which is confined 

 to the Old, the latter to the New, World. Among the fossil 

 remains here, I have discovered traces of the last-named ge- 

 nus, which are however too imperfect to enable us to determine 

 more accurately its relation to existing species. The frag- 

 ments indicate an animal of the size of an ox ; wherefore I pro- 

 pose for it the temporary name, Myrmecophaga gigantea. 



