3!)2 



PALEONTOLOGY 



feet across, following the curve at the middle of the back. 

 These large extinct species differ from the modern armadillos, 

 in having no bands or joints in their coat of mail, for the 

 purpose of contracting or bending the body into the form of a 

 ball. They also differ in the fluted form of the teeth (fig. J 38) ; 

 whence the generic name {Glyptocloii) assigned to them. The 

 species are distinguished, like their present puny representa- 

 tives (Dasypus), by peculiar patterns of the outer surface of the 

 constituent ossicles of the tesselated mail. In the species figured 

 (G. clavicles), a large raised central circular plate is surrounded 

 by smaller portions. The species named G. rdiculatus, G. tvber- 



Fig. 137. 

 Extinct gigantic Arm c aclillo (Glyptodon clainpes). 



culatti.% G. ornatus, etc., have their names from other modi- 

 fications of the sculptured surface of their armour. Above 

 the principal figure in cut 137 are shown the front and back 

 margins of the body-armour ; below it, opposite the left hand, 

 are upper and under views of the cranium, which was defended 

 by a tesselated bony casque. The tail also had its indepen- 

 dent osseous sheath, supported by the vertebra' within, as 

 shown in the figure opposite the right hand. 



