380 



SKETCH OF THE HISTORY OF MAMMALIA. 



discovered in their natural relative position, indicating, 

 as Mr. Darwin observes, that the sublittoral formation in 

 which they had been originally deposited had been but 

 little disturbed. This beach is covered at spring- tides, 

 and many portions of the skeleton were encrusted with 

 Jiustrce. Small marine shells were lodged within the 

 crevices of the bones. 



The teeth in structure resemble those of the mylodon ; 

 there are neither incisors nor canines ; the molars are 

 five on each side above, and four below. According to 

 Professor Owen, of all the Edentata the Cape Ant-eater, 

 or Aard-vark, most nearly resembles the scelidotherium in 

 the form of the skull ; and next to the aard-vark may 

 be cited the great armadillo {Dasypus gigas). 



" Although the Scelidothere, like most other Edentals, 

 was of low stature, and, like the megatherium, presented 

 a disproportionate development of the hinder parts, it 

 is probable that, bulk for bulk, it equalled, when alive, the 

 largest existing pachyderms not proboscidean. There 

 is no evidence that it possessed a tesselated osseous coat 

 of mail." 



