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Description of a new Genus of Mammiferous Quadrupeds, 

 of the Order Edentata. By Richard Harlan, M. D. 

 Professor of Comparative Anatomy to the Philadelphia 

 Museum, Member of the Am. Phil. Soc. &tc. he. 



Read January 24, 1825. 



On the 18th December, 1824, Mr. William Colesberry of 

 Philadelphia, presented to the Philadelphia Museum of Natu- 

 ral History the interesting animal which forms the subject of 

 the following pages. Mr. C. gave the following statement to 

 Mr. Franklin Peale : — " The animal is a native of Mendoza, 

 and in the Indian language is named ' Pichiciago.' Men- 

 doza is situate in the interior of Chili, on the east of the Cor- 

 dilleras, in lat. 33° 25' and long. 69° 47', in the province of 

 Cuyo. It had been obtained on the spot, in a living state, 

 but it continued to live in confinement only a few days. Its 

 habits resemble those of the mole, living for the most part 

 under ground ; and is reputed to carry its young beneath the 

 scaly cloak with which it is covered ; and that the tail possess- 

 ed little or no motion." 



It is to be regretted that the viscera and the greater portion 

 of the skeleton of this animal had been removed before it 

 came into my possession ; and the gentleman who presented 

 the same, having left the city, precludes the possibility of re- 

 ceiving, at present, any further particulars relative to its ha- 

 bits ; but the observations which I have been able to make 

 from the examination of its exterior, together with the skull 

 and teeth, all of which are in nearly a perfect state of preser- 

 vation, establish the characters of the animal on the most solid 

 foundation. 



Cuvier, that justly celebrated naturalist, remarks : " In 

 zoology, when the teeth and jaws of an animal are given, the 

 remaining structure may be readily determined ; at least as 

 far as relates to essential characters." The form of the tooth. 



