



132 MAMMALIA. EDENTATA. 



1st TRIBE.' TARDIGRADA. Face short; with canine and 

 molar teeth, or molars only ; nails long and bent. 



Gen. 115. BRADYPUS, Lin. Cuv. 



Incisors g, canines ^-|, molars J-J 18. Canines higher 

 than the molars, pyramidal and pointed ; molars cylindrical ; 

 head small, rounded ; muzzle truncated ; neck short ; nos- 

 trils at the extremity of the muzzle ; anterior extremities long- 

 er than the posterior, with two or three united toes, termi- 

 nated by very long robust nails ; fur thick and harsh, with 

 the hair of the fore-arms directed upwards ; stomach membra- 

 nous, divided into many sacs ; intestines short ; no coecum. 



B. tridactylus, Lin. The Three-toed Sloth. Three nails to all the 

 feet ; lower jaw truncated before ; fur of a gray, more or less 

 brown, mixed with whitish ; soles of the feet hairy. S. America. 

 Shaw, i. pi. 45. 



The extreme slowness of locomotion in the Sloth is the result of its peculiar con- 

 formation. It possesses, however, a great degree of muscular power, and will hang 

 for days upon trees with its body downward by its strong claws. It feeds upon the 

 leaves, buds, and fruits, and never leaves the tree upon which it is located till the 

 supply is completely exhausted ; then rolling itself up as a ball the animal drops to 

 the ground, and drags itself heavily along in search of fresh food. The apathy of 

 these animals is such that they may be taken attached to the branch of the tree upon 

 which they are found, and testify neither astonishment nor uneasiness at any treat- 

 ment they may receive. They emit a plaintive cry, noted by the vowels a, z, from 

 whence the American name, Ai. 



B. didactylus, Lin. Two long nails only on the fore-feet ; lower 

 jaw projecting and pointed ; hair very long, of a brownish gray 

 colour ; soles of the feet naked. S. America. Shaw, i. pi. 46. 



Gen. 116. MEGATHERIUM, Cuv. (Fossil.) 

 Incisors g, canines g-g, molars |-| = 16. 



M. Cuvieri. Molar teeth marked with transverse furrows on the 

 crown. Body, estimated from the skeleton, 12 feet long Found 

 in Paraguay, South America. 



2d TRIBE. EFFODIENTIA. Muzzle elongated ; with molar 

 teeth only, or none at all. 



Gen. 117. DASYPUS, Lin. Armadillo, Briss. 



Incisors g or f , canines g-g, molars varying in the several spe- 

 cies from 28 to 68, simple, cylindrical, separate, without ena- 

 mel on the inner side ; head long, mouth and eyes small ; 

 body enveloped in a hard scaly shell in three compartments, 

 covering the head, the body, and the tail, with moveable 

 transverse bands between them ; five toes on the hind-feet, 

 four or five on the fore-feet, with long nails for digging. 

 * Four iocs on the fore-feet ; two or four mammce. 



D. Apar, Desm. (Dasypus tricinctus, Lin.) The Three-banded Ar- 



