204 EDENTA TA 



of the Pleistocene of South America, as well as Carioderma, of the 

 Pliocene of Texas, differ from all the preceding in having the scutes 

 of the carapace in the form of disconnected nodules. Glyptodonts 

 also occur in South American beds of earlier age than the Pleistocene, 

 some of these forms having enamel bands on the teeth. " Why such 

 a form as the Glyptodon should have failed to keep his ground is," 

 as the late Professor W. K. Parker remarks, " a great mystery ; 

 nature seems to have built him, as Rome was built, for eternity." 



Family 



Covered externally (except the under surface of the body and 

 inside of the limbs) with large imbricated horny scales, and 

 scattered hairs growing in the intervals. No teeth. Tongue long, 

 vermiform, and protractile. No accessory articular processes to 

 the lumbar vertebne, but the anterior zygapophyses largely de- 

 veloped and deeply concave, completely embracing the semicylindri- 

 cal surfaces of the posterior zygapophyses. Limbs short, with five 

 complete digits on each foot. Scaphoid and lunar bones of carpus 

 united. Uterus bicornuate. Placenta diffused and non-deciduate. 

 All the existing forms belong to the Ethiopian and Oriental regions 

 of the Old World. The absence of additional articular processes to 

 the lumbar vertebrae is a character in which this and the following 

 family differ from all the preceding forms. 



Manis. 1 Skull somewhat of the form of an elongated cone, with 

 the small end turned forwards ; very smooth and free from crests 

 and ridges. No distinction between the orbits and temporal fossae. 

 The zygomatic arch usually incomplete, owing to the absence of 

 the jugal bone. No distinct lachrymal bone. Palate long and 

 narrow. The pterygoids extend backwards as far as the tympanics, 

 but do not meet in the middle line below. Tympanic ankylosed to 

 the surrounding bones, and more or less bullate, but not produced 

 into a tubular auditory meatus. Kami of mandible very slender 

 and straight, without any angle or coronoid process. From near 

 the anterior extremity of the upper edge a sharp, conical, tooth-like 

 process projects upwards and outwards. No clavicles. No third 

 trochanter to the femur. Ungual phalanges bifid at their ter- 

 minations. Caudal vertebrae with very long, strong transverse 

 processes and numerous chevron bones. Tongue long, vermiform, 

 flattened towards the tip ; its retractor or sterno- glossal muscles 

 arising from the hinder extremity of the immensely prolonged 

 ensiform cartilage of the sternum. Stomach with thick lining 

 membrane and muscular walls, and a special gland near the 

 middle of the great curvature, consisting of a mass of complex 



1 Linn. Syst. Nat. 12th ed. vol. i. p. 52 (1766). 



