664 QUADRUPEDS. 



there must have been very long pointed claws, enclosed at their 

 origin in a long sheath. There appears to have betn only three 

 of these claws on the fore-feet, aud a single one on the hind. The 

 other toes seem to have been deprived of them, and perhaps en- 

 tirely concealed beneath the skin. 



" The head is the greatest singularity of this skeleton. The 

 occiput is elongated and flattened, but it is pretty convex above 

 the eyes. The two jaws form a considerable projection, but with- 

 out the teeth, all grinders, with a flat crown and grooved across. 

 The breadth of the branches of the lower jaw, and the great apo- 

 physis placed on the base of the zygomatic arch, deserve particular 

 notice. 



" This quadruped in its character, taken together, differs from 

 all known animals : and each of its bones considered apart, also 

 differs from the corresponding bones of all known animals. This 

 results from a detailed comparison of the skeleton with that of 

 other animals, and will readily appear to those who are conversant 

 in such researches : for none of the animals which approach it in 

 bulk have either pointed claws, or similarly formed head, shoulder- 

 blades, clavicle, pelvis, or limbs. 



c * As to its place in the system of quadrupeds, it is perfectly 

 marked by the sole inspection of the ordinary indicatory charac- 

 ters, that is, the claws and teeth. These shew that it must be 

 classed in the family of unguiculated quadrupeds, destitute of cut- 

 ting teeth ; and in fact it has striking relations with those animals 

 in all parts of its body. This family is composed of the sloth 

 (bradjpus), armadil'o (dasypus), pangolin (manis), ant-eater 

 (myrmecophagus), and Cape ant-eater (orycteropus). 



" The great thickness of the branches of the lower jaw, surpass- 

 ing even that of the elephant, seems to prove that this vast animal 

 was not content with leaves, but like the elephant and rhinoceros, 

 broke and ground the branches themselves ; its close and flat-crowned 

 teeth appearing very proper for that purpose. The position of the 

 bones of the nose having some analogy with that of the elephant 

 and tapir, would induce an opinion that our animal wore a trunk, 

 but it must have been very short, since the length of the head and 

 neck together only equals that of the fore legs. However this be, 

 we find, in the absence of canine teeth, and the shortness of the 

 muzzle, sufficient characters to constitute a new genus in the family 

 of the edentated, which ought to be placed between the sloth and 



