CHAPTER XVI 



HISTORY OF THE EDENTATA 



As here employed, excluding the so-called edentates of the 

 Old World, the Edentata form a highly variegated, but natural, 

 assemblage of related forms. The order is at present exclu- 

 sively American and almost confined to the Neotropical region, 

 an armadillo which extends into Texas being the sole exception. 

 These animals are so peculiar and so isolated from other mam- 

 mals, that it has been proposed to treat them as a separate 

 subclass ; and there is much to be said in favour of this pro- 

 cedure, though it would perhaps be premature, until more is 

 learned concerning these most curious and exceptional ani- 

 mals. In the subjoined table only the more imjDortant and 

 better known genera are included. 



Series PILOSA. Hairy Edentates 

 Suborder TARDIGRADA. Tree-Sloths 



I. BRADYPODIDyE. 



Braclypus, Three-toed Sloth, Rec. Cholcepus, Two-toed Sloth, Rec. 



Suborder VERMILINGUA. Anteaters 



II. Myrmecophagid.e. 



Myrmecophaga, Ant-Bear, Rec. Tamandua, Lesser Anteater, do. 

 Cyclopes, Tree Anteater, do. 



Suborder fGRAVIGRADA. fGround-Slotlis 



III. fMEGATHERIID.^. 



"^Megatherium, Pho. and Pleist., S. A. ; Pleist., N. A. ? ]Prepothe- 

 rium, Santa Cruz. ? \Planops, do. 

 591 



