50 



SOME TOOTHLESS MAMMALS 



of South America remains have been found which show 

 that the armadillos of old were giants. One, the glyptodon 



(Fig. 35), resem- 

 bled a huge turtle 

 and was eight feet 

 long. The finest 

 specimen of its 

 shell known was 

 found by the side of 

 a native hut where 



Fig. 35. — The Fossil Glyptodon. 



the children were using it as a playhouse. Near the 

 Plata the bones of an armadillo have been found as large 

 as those of a rhinoceros. 



The armadillo (Fig. 36) is a harmless animal. One 

 which I had an opportunity to observe was an interesting 



Fig. 36. —Armadillo. 



