146 MAMMALIA. 



tail partially attached to the under part of the body,* One species only 

 is known, the 



C. trudcatus, Harl.,-f- which is five or six inches in length, and is 



found in the interior of Chili, where it passes the most of its time 



under ground. 



It appears that the fossil bones of a Tatou of gigantic size, being ten 



feet long exclusive of the tail, have been found in America. See Cuv. 



Oss. Foss. V. part 1, p. 191, note. 



OrycteropuSjJ Geoff. 



The Orycteropes were for a long time confounded with the Ant-Eaters, 

 because they consumed the same kind of food, had the same form of head, 

 and a tongue somewhat extensible ; but they are distinguished from them 

 by being furnished with grinders and flat nails, formed for digging, and 

 not trenchant. The structure of their teeth differs from that of all other 

 quadrupeds; they are solid cylinders traversed like reeds, in a longitudi- 

 nal direction, with an infinitude of little canals. Their stomach is simple, 

 and muscular near the pylorus, their cacum small and obtuse. There is 

 only one species known. 



Gryct. capensis; Mijrmecophega capensis, PaU. ; Buff. Supp.VI. 

 xxxi. (The Cape Orycteropus). Called by the Dutch of that co- 

 lony, the Earth Pig. It is an animal about the size of the badger, 

 or larger ; stands low ; has short hair, and is of a brownish-grey. 

 The tail is not so long as the body, and is covered with equally short 

 hairs. It has four toes before, and five behind. Inhabits holes, 

 which it excavates with great facility. The flesh is eaten. 



The other ordinary Edentata have no grinders, and, consequently, no 

 teeth of any description. They also form two genera. 



Myrmecophaga, Lin. 



The Ant-Eaters are hairy animals, with a long muzzle terminated by a 

 small toothless mouth, from which is protruded a filiform tongue suscep- 

 tible of considerable elongation, and which they insinuate into Ant-hills 

 and the nests of the Termites, whence these insects are withdrawn by be- 

 ing entangled in the viscid saliva that covers it. The nails of the fore 

 feet, strong and trenchant, and varying in number according to the species, 

 serve to tear up the nests of the termites, and afford a good means of de- 

 fence. When at rest these nails are always half bent inwards, corre- 

 sponding to a callosity of the tarsus ; hence the animal can only bring the 

 side of the foot to the ground. The stomach of the ant-eater is simple 

 and muscular towards its pylorus ; their intestinal canal moderate, and 

 without a caecum. § 



* We only know this animal by the description of Dr. Harlan, Ann. of the New 

 York Lye. I. p. 235, and pi. xxi. 



I Its osteology, as given by M. Yarael (Zool. Journ. No. 12), is closely allied to 

 that of the Cabassous. Over each eye-brow there is a singular ridge. 



X Orycteropus, v.'hich has the feet fitted for digging. 



§ Danbeuton has discovered in the M. didactyla two very small appendages, which, 

 in strictness, may be considered as caeca. I have ascertained that there are none 

 in the Tamandua. 



