SEA-COWS. 339 



Coelodon, Mylodon, Lestodon, Scelidotherium, Plationyx, and Me- 

 galonyx, the majority of which embrace species of very robust 

 dimensions. The species are mainly found in the bone-caves of 

 Brazil, and in the Pampean and diluvial deposits of the Argentine 

 Republic and Patagonia. Megalochnus rodens, a diminutive spe- 

 cies, is from the island of Cuba. Nothropus priscus, from the 

 Argentine Republic, appears to have possessed arboreal habits, in 

 this respect agreeing more closely with the modern sloths than any 

 of the other forms. Of the North American members of this 

 family the best known species are Megatherium mirabile, a some- 

 what smaller form than the M. Americanum, from the superficial 

 deposits of the Southern United States ; Megalonyx Jeffersoni, 

 originally described from a cave in Virginia ; and Mylodon Harlani, 

 from the Western and Southern United States. A peculiar genus 

 from the deposits of Natchez, on the Mississippi, has been described 

 as Ereptodon. 



The glyptodons embrace a considerable number of Pampean 

 species, which by Burmeister and other authors are referred to sev- 

 eral distinct genera — Hoplophorus, Panochthus, Dcedicurus, Eury- 

 urus, Glyptodon, and Schistopleurum. The best known sjDecies are 

 Glyptodon typus and clavipes. 



Sirenia (Sea-cows). — This order is at the present day limited to 

 some half-dozen species, referable to two genera: Manatus, the ma- 

 natees, and Halicore, the dugongs, the former of which is common 

 to both the Eastern and Western Hemispheres, while the latter is 

 strictly confined to the Old World. Of the two American species 

 of Manatus the West Indian sea-cow (Manatus latirostris) inhabits 

 the creeks, lagoons, and estuaries of the north of South America, 

 the West Indies, and Florida, and the Brazilian sea-cow (M. 

 Americanus or inunguis) the South American coast-line to about 

 the twentieth parallel of south latitude, and the more important 

 Brazilian rivers, very nearly to their sources.* The only Old 

 World form (M. Senegalensis) inhabits the West African coast for 

 about ten degrees on either side of the Equator, and the interior as 

 far as, or farther than, Lake Tchad. 



Of the three species of Halicore, one (Halicore tabernaculi) is 



* The i^lentity of the coast species and that of the Upper Amazon and Ori- 

 noco Kivers has not yet been absolutely established, but is considered highly 

 probable by Ilartlaub (Spengel's "Zool. Jahrb.," 1886). 



