110 THE MAMMALIA. 



3. THE EDENTATA, OB ANIMALS POOR IN TEETH. 



Gaudry tells us that the famous brain-anatomist, 

 Gratiolet, compared the Sloths to old men crawling 

 along heavily, with hands that had become im- 

 movable, and as having lost their teeth all but 

 a few pieces of cheek-teeth. Now if we take 

 these sloths in connection with the Ant-eaters, 

 Armadilloes, and scaly ant-eaters (which call forth 

 similar comparisons), and then endeavour to de- 

 termine the common character of the strange 

 company from a scientific point of view, we shall 

 find it easier to ask the question than to give a reply. 

 It is true that, as their systematic name indicates, 

 all are poor in teeth i.e. have an impoverished 

 set of teeth, some even no teeth at all, and in most 

 cases only pointed, regularly formed cheek-teeth 

 without enamel; again, all possess limbs with 

 large claws ; further, the brain is in all cases of 

 very moderate size, the surface of the larger hemi- 

 sphere being flat. However, this latter peculiarity 

 is met with in other of the lower orders of the 

 Mammalia, and upon a closer examination not 

 much importance can be attached to the certain 

 amount of uniformity of the toes mentioned above. 

 One sloth has three, another two, the Giant Sloths 



