On the Teeth of the Megatherium. 59 



singular animal, accompanied with a description of the teeth, 

 recently found at Skidaway Island, will not be unaccepta- 

 ble to our society. 



The Megatherium, though in size larger than the Rhinoce- 

 ros or the Elephant, has, until of late years, been entirely un- 

 known. Spain has, however, in her cabinets, the greater part 

 of three skeletons. In the year 1789, the Marquis of Loretto, 

 Viceroy of Buenos Ayres, sent to Spain the first and most 

 perfect skeleton of the Megatherium, (the one now in the cabi- 

 net of Madrid,) stating that it was found in making some exca- 

 vations on the banks of the Luxam, a league SE. of a city of 

 the same name, being about three leagues WSW. of Buenos 

 Ayres. In 1795, another specimen was received from Lenia, 

 and a third is known as having been found in Paraguay. 



These are all the known specimens that have been discover- 

 ed ; and it appears, that although found in different parts of 

 South America, they have hitherto been confined to that 

 country. 



There is however an animal whose bones are described by 

 Mr. Jefferson, in the Philosophical Transactions for 1797, 

 under the name of Megalonix, with characters somewhat simi- 

 lar. Cuvier considers it as a distinct species belonging to the 

 same genus. It is much smaller, and is distinguished by other 

 peculiarities, which serve to corroborate the correctness of 

 the division. In nothing, perhaps, are the differences more 

 remarkable, than in the form and structure of the teeth, which, 

 in the Megalonix, are simple, cylindrical, superior or grinding 

 surface depressed in the centre, with rising edges ; in the Me- 

 gatherium, they are square, and offer a peculiar conformation 

 of their superior surface, presently to be described. 



For a particular anatomical description of the Megathe* 

 rium, none better can be found than that by Cuvier, in his 

 elaborate work on fossil bones, Vol. IV., from which we have 

 drawn the foregoing history. It is sufficient to observe, that 

 there are sixteen molar teeth, four on either side of eacli jaw } 

 and that the animal has no canine or incisor tooth. 



