1833.] EXTINCT ANIMALS. 9^ 



animal. Thirdly, the Scelidotherium, also an allied animal, 

 of which I obtained a nearly perfect skeleton. It must 

 have been as large as a rhinoceros : in the structure of its 

 head it comes, according to Mr. Owen, nearest to the Cape 

 Ant-eater, but in some bther respects it approaches to the 

 armadilloes. Fourthly, the Mylodon Darwinii^ a closely 

 related genus of little inferior size. Fifthly, another gigantic 

 edental quadruped. Sixthly, a large animal, with an 

 osseous coat in compartments, very like that of an armadillo. 

 Seventhly, an extinct kind of horse, to which I shall have 

 again to refer. Eighthly, a tooth of a Pachydermatous 

 animal, probably the same with the Macrauchenia, a huge 

 beast with a long neck like a camel, which I shall also refer 

 to again. Lastly, the Toxodon, perhaps one of the strangest 

 animals ever discovered : in size it equalled an elephant or 

 megatherium, but the structure of its teeth, as Mr. Owen 

 states, proves indisputably that it was intimately related to 

 the Gnawers, the order which, at the present day, includes 

 most of the smallest quadrupeds : in many details it is allied 

 to the Pachydennata : judging from the position of its eyes, 

 ears, and nostrils, it was probably aquatic, like the Dugong 

 a,nd Manatee, to which it is also allied. How wonderfully 

 are the different Orders, at the present time so well 

 separated, blended together in different points of the 

 structure of the Toxodon ! 



The remains of these nine great quadrupeds, and many 

 detached bones were found embedded on the beach, within 

 the space of about 200 yards square. It is a remarkable 

 circumstance that so many different species should be found 

 together ; and it proves how numerous in kind the ancient 

 inhabitants of this country must have been. At the distance 

 of about thirty miles from P. Alta, in a cliff of red earth, I 

 found several fragments of bones, some of large size. 

 Among them were the teeth of a gnawer, equalling in size 

 and closely resembling those of the Capybara, whose habits 

 have been described ; and therefore, probably, an aquatic 

 animal. There was also part of the head of a Ctenomys ; 

 the species being different from the Tucutuco, but with a 

 close general resemblance. The red earth, like that of thi 

 Pampas, in which these remains were embedded, contains, 

 according to Professor Ehrenberg, eight fresh-water and 

 one salt-water infusorial animalcule ; therefore, probably, 

 it was an estuary deposit. 



The remains at Punta Alta were embedded in strati fiedL 



