MEGATHERIUM. 183 



parts of the skeleton, an intelligent person was subse- 

 quently sent to the same spot, who succeeded, after con- 

 siderable difficulties, in getting out of the mud forming the 

 bed of the river the remainder of the collection. Further 

 inquiry led Mr. Parish to suppose that similar remains 

 might be met with in other parts of the provinces of 

 Buenos Ayres, and he applied to the local authorities to 

 assist him in making further search. This was given 

 by the governor, Don Manuel Rosas, and the remains of 

 the other two skeletons were found on his Excellency's 

 own properties of Las Averias and Villanueva, one to 

 the north, the other to the south of the Salado, but at 

 no great distance from the place where the first had been 

 discovered. In the latter instance the osseous remains 

 were accompanied by an immense shell, or case, ])ortions 

 of which were brought to this country." A fragment 

 of this shell, or osseous shield, is figured by Mr. Clift ; 

 its external surface is rough, and it appears to consist of 

 anassemblage of smaller parts, like rosettes in sculpture, 

 united together by sutures ; the sutures being plainly 

 marked on the under surface, which is smooth. By M. 

 Blainville, Dr. Buckland, and indeed by most naturalists, 

 this buckler or carapace was regarded as belonging to 

 the megatherium, whose colossal bulk it was regarded 

 as having protected, as is the case in the armadillos, to 

 which it was believed to be closely related, not only in 

 structure and habits, but also food. 



It has, however, been recently demonstrated by Pro- 

 fessor Owen, and we believe to the entire satisfaction of 

 Dr. Buckland himself, that the tesselated carapace found 

 with the Salado remains did not belong to the mega- 

 therium, but to a large armadillo-like animal, to which 

 Professor Owen assigned the title of Glyptodon, and 

 whose hind-feet, like the fore foot, ai)pearto be so modi- 

 fied as to form the bases of columnar limbs destined to 

 support an enormous incumbent weight. Moreover, from 

 a rigorous examination of the details of the skeleton of 

 the megatherium, into which we forbear to enter, he 

 proves the incompatibility of such a shield with its osseous 

 structure, which differs in marked essentials from that of 



