MAMMALIA. 



663 



Dasypus L. Teeth small, distant, cylindric, in various number, 

 in both jaws. Body covered by very hard mail formed of regular 

 scutes, mostly hexagonal, the back intersected by zones. Ears 

 somewhat large. Hairs scattered between the scutes and the zones. 

 Tail of various length, covered by scutella, tuberculate or naked. 

 Feet either all pentadactylous or anterior tetradactylous. 



The Armadillos. All these animals live in South America. The skeleton 

 is distinguished by the peculiar breadth of the first rib, by well-developed 

 clavicles, and by a second projecting line under the spine of the scapula 

 (also more or less present in the ant-eaters), and also by an elongation of 

 the acromion over the humerus. They buiy themselves under ground 

 vsrhen pursued. By some the flesh is considered well-tasted. According to 

 AzARA the dorsal shield is used for making guitars by the Brasilians. 



a) With fore feet tetradactylous, hind feet pentadactijlous. 



Sp. Dasypus novemcinctus L., Das. longicaudus Max. Neuw., Schreb. 



Saugth. Tab. 74, Blumenb. Ahh. naturh. Geffenst. No. 83; the tail ringed 



7 ~ 7 

 and at every ring regularly attenuated, of the length of the body ; — - 



molars or thereabouts. This species is one of the commonest and is found 

 in Brasil, Guiana and Surinam. — Dasypus conurus IsiD. Geoffr.i, j^ja- 

 taco of AzARA ; with short tail. 



b) With all the feet pentadactylom. 



Sp. Dasypus tricinctus L., Schreb. Saugth. 71. This species has a short 

 tail, the body very convex backwards, like a tortoise ; it can roll itself up. 

 (The genus Tolypeutes Illig.) Dasypus seoocinctus L. (and octodecimcimtus 

 Gm.), Dasypus setosus Neuw., Schreb. Saugth. Tab. 71 b, Guerin Iconogr., 

 Mammlf. PI. 34, fig. i. Diet. univ. d'Hist. nat., Mammif. PI. 15, fig. i ; 

 Tatusia F. Cuv. 



The largest species is Dasypus gigas Cuv., Buff. x. PI. 45, Krauss 

 Thierreich in BiUern, Saugth. Tab. 24, fig. 5 (the genus Priodon F. Cuv.). 

 The small molars are very numerous, 16, 18 or more on each side 



( ^' ~^^ Y Cuv 1 This species is found in Surinam and Brasil, and attains 

 25-25 ■ )■ ^ 



a leno-th of 3 feet. The Botucodos make speaking trumpets from the tail, 

 which they use in the forests. Neuwied Reise nach Brasil. l. s. 363, 364, 



Q Q 



CUamydophorus {CJilamypJiorus Haelan). Molar teeth g— -g . 



Ears almost none, concealed under hair. Back covered with a 

 coriaceous test, truncated posteriorly, composed of transverse rows 

 of scutella ; leg, abdomen, and sides hairy. Feet pentadactylous ; 

 claws of fore feet very long, acute. Tail rigid, bent under the body. 



1 Dasypus tricinctus auctor., in part; see Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 

 GuEEiN Revue Zool. 1847. 



