'558 ' CHORD AT A, 



extra articular processes. The sub-order is entirely re- 

 stricted to the Neogaean realm (South America). 



Family I. — Bradypodidse or Sloths. — Purely arboreal, leaf-eating 

 animals ; Brady pus has been described. We may recall ( i ) the adapta- 

 tion to arboreal habit ; (2) the low eutherian characters shown in a bi- 

 partite uterus, occasional presence of a complete coracoid and varying 

 number of cervical vertebrae. They are found only in forests of South 

 America. 



Family II. — Megatheriidae or ground sloths. — Extinct terrestial 

 forms, occurring backwards from the Pleistocene. They are closely allied 

 to the sloths, but show certain resemblances to the anteaters. They 



Fig. 382. — Tamandua Anteater {Tamandua tetradadyla.) 



(From Prog. Soc, 1871., Pl. xliii.) 



were apparently huge hairy monsters, that fed upon leaves of trees. 

 Megatherium walked upon the outer side of the feet, on pads covering 

 the fifth digit of the front-limb and the fourth and fifth of the hind-limb. 

 The second, third and fourth digits of the front-limb and the third of the 

 hind-limb were armed with huge claws. Mylodon was another well- 

 known form which may possibly still survive in parts of South America. 



Family III. — Myrmecophagidae or Anteaters. — These show a 

 similar adaptation to anteating to that already noticed in Echidna. 

 There are no teeth, the mandible is rudimentary, facial region tapering 

 and terminating in a small round mouth. The tongue is very long 

 and copiously supplied with saliva from the large submaxillary glands. 

 The tail is usually long and in the tree-anteaters is prehensile. The 



