EDENTATA. 297 



as an offence, for the largest are reported to be avid 

 of animal matter ; and the fossil giants of this genus 

 may, in their time, have thus chiefly served the end 

 of their creation ; while an existing species lately 

 noticed by Mr. Schomburgk, perhaps still, as the In- 

 dians assert, feeds in the same manner, it being one 

 that weighed above 110 pounds, was about 3 feet 

 high at the back, and 5| feet in length, with the 

 tail 16 inches long, and nearly as thick as a man's 

 thigh at the root ; the middle toe of the five on the 

 fore feet was 7^ inches in length, and armed with 

 claws capable of digging with the greatest rapi- 

 dity. 



No doubt, this species was provided with the 

 same kind of numerous conical teeth which we find 

 in others of the genus. 



The Armadillos having seven teeth on each side, 

 above and below, may be divided into sub-genera, 

 taking for one, those with only four toes on the 

 anterior feet, such as Dasypus novemcinctus^ or 

 Nine Banded Armadillo ; Das. septemcinctus, or 

 Seven Banded Armadillo; and Das. tricinctus, or 

 Three Banded Armadillo. 



The second division has five toes on all the feet, 

 and contains Das. sexcinctus,* and Octo decimcinctou, 

 or Six and Eighteen Banded Armadillos. 



In a third, the toes of the anterior extremities 

 are placed obliquely, the thumb and index being 



* Das. sexcinctuS) or Weasel Headed Armadillo, shows, in 

 the Genetalia^ the first traces of approximation to the oviparous 

 type which particularly characterize the Marsupial Edentata. 



