EDENTATA. 295 



in dentition, and even in locomotive activity, still 

 evince characters, such as their huge claws, which 

 approach Ungulata ; and the remains of a large 

 extinct edental, at this moment under the inspec- 

 tion of Professor Owen, actually possesses the un- 

 expected combination of both hoofs and claws on 

 the same foot. It is, however, to the pachydermous, 

 rather than the ruminant tribes that the last gigantic 

 forms of Edentata most nearly approximate. 



The Edentata are so named, because they are 

 deficient in front teeth, for, in other respects, the 

 order hangs together by almost negative characters 

 which it has in common ; such as the great claws 

 which invest the anterior part of the fingers having 

 more or less the form of hoofs, and a deficient 

 activity resulting from the disposition of the mem- 

 bers : these, however, are sufficiently different in the 

 species to require separating them into three families. 

 We take, for the reason above indicated, first, the 

 fossil remains which appear nearly allied to the 

 tribes of Edentata, and are likewise, we believe, con- 

 nected with the extinct species before mentioned; 

 but of this the description is yet to appear. 



The extinct animals we place here are two of 

 very great size, apparently allied to sioths, anteaters, 

 and even to armadillos : they are the Megatherium, 

 above twelve feet long, and the Megalonyx, some- 

 what less, and not so completely investigated.* 



The family of the Tardigrades^ or Sloths, have 



* See curious note, in Volume XXII., page 147, of this 

 Work. 



