30 



MYRMECOPHAGA. 



Type locality. Brazil. 



Geogr. Distr. Guatemala to Brazil. 



Genl. Char. Size large; tail very large, about as long as head 

 and body, covered with long hairs; claws strong, curved. 



Color. Nose, head, back, loins, and tail covered with coarse hairs 

 that are white at base, then brownish or black and tipped with buff; 

 throat patch ending in a point on breast; stripe over shoulder end- 

 ing in a point on the loins; broad band on forearms above hands; 

 legs and under parts, black; rest of body, shoulders, breast, arms, 

 and stripe from beneath ears to loins above the black, grayish 

 white; white hairs on toes. 



FIG. XI. MYRMECOPHAGA TRIDACTYLA. GREAT ANTEATER. 



Measurements. Total length to end of hairs on tail, 2500; tail 

 to 'end of hairs, 1130. Skull: occipito-nasal length, 370; zygomatic 

 width, 56; interorbital constriction, 43; median length of nasals, 150; 

 lateral length of nasals, 171 ; length of mandible, 320. 



The Armadillos are remarkable for their ossified skin, formed by 

 the union of numerous variously shaped scales into a bony armor 

 protecting the body, head, and limbs. In some extinct species this 

 covering was entire, but in the living animals it is divided into three 

 regions, the anterior, median, and posterior portions, the middle 

 section consisting of a varying number of rings connected by a 

 flexible skin to permit a curvature of the body. The inner surface 

 of the limbs, and underside of the body is covered by a soft skin. 

 Hairs often project between the bony scutes, and the skin-covered 

 parts are more or less hairy. Fore feet with strong claws, upon the 



