DASYPID.E. MAMMALIA.- 



molars are thirty in number fourteen below and 

 sixteen in the upper series. The ears are largely 

 developed, and about two inches from root to tip. 

 One of the most distinguishing characteristics is seen 

 in the enormous enlargement of the digits of the 

 anterior feet. These clearly demonstrate the exalted 

 nature of its burrowing powers ; but beyond this little 

 is known of its habits. In the catalogue of Edentata 

 preserved in the British Museum, this species is de- 

 nominated Xennrus unidnctus. 



THE POYOU (Dasypus sexcinctus] is one of the 

 commonest forms of armadillo, and is especially abun- 

 dant in the province of Paraguay. It is at once 

 recognized by its remarkable breadth as compared 

 vith its height. The body measures sixteen inches 

 from the tip of the muzzle to the root of the tail ; this 

 organ being about eight inches long, and protected at 

 the base by three or four osseous plates hi the form 

 of rings, while throughout the remainder of its extent 

 it is covered with small scaly tubercles. The limbs, 

 as we have hinted, are very short; nevertheless the 

 animal is very swift of foot. The head is broad, flat, 

 triangular, and truncated at the muzzle ; the ears being 

 of moderate size, and widely separated from each other. 

 Its habits are similar to those of its congeners ; but as it 

 is particularly fond of carrion, its flesh is not considered 

 by the Spanish and other European colonists of South 

 America to be so good eating, as those species whose 

 diet is exclusively vegetable. 



THE HAIRY ARMADILLO (Dasypus villosus) is 

 rather smaller than the above, and is a native of 

 Buenos Ayres and the districts south of the Rio de 

 la Plata. So abundant is it in the plains of these 

 regions, that D'Azara writes as follows : " In an 

 expedition which I made into the interior, between 

 the parallels of 35 and 36 south latitude, I met 

 with vast multitudes of this species of armadillo ; so 

 that there was scarcely an individual ot the party 

 who did not each day capture one or two at least ; 

 for, unlike the Poyou, which moves abroad only dur- 

 ing the night, this animal is to be found at all times, 

 and upon being alarmed promptly conceals itself, if 

 not intercepted. In March and April, when I saw 

 them, they were so extremely fat that their flesh sur- 

 feited and palled the appetite ; notwithstanding which, 

 the pioneers and soldiers ate them roasted, and pre- 

 ferred them to beef and veal." The distinguished 

 Spanish officer and naturalist further observes, that 

 the Hairy Armadillo " scents the carcasses ot dead 

 horses from a great distance, and runs to devour them ; 

 but, as it is unable to penetrate the hide, it burrows 

 under the body till it finds a place which the mois- 

 ture of the soil has already begun to render putrid. 

 Here it makes an entrance with its claws, and eats its 

 way into the interior, where it continues feasting on 

 the putrid flesh till nothing remains but the hide and 

 bones ; and so perfectly do these preserve then- posi- 

 tion, that it is impossible from a mere external view to 

 anticipate the operations which the armadillos have 

 been carrying on within." This species does not con- 

 struct burrows for the purposes of habitation, and is 

 alwavs met with on dry open grounds. It is, as the 

 name implies, better provided with hair than obtains 



in the case of its congeners. The bands vary numeri- 

 cally, there being usually six or seven. The teeth are 

 thirty-two in number, equally divided above and be- 

 low. The ears are conspicuously developed ; but the 

 most characteristic feature of this species arises from 

 the sharp, projecting margin of the lateral bands and 

 tesselated bucklers at the lower part of the body. 



THE MATACO (Dasypus tricincius) is another very 

 interesting form of armadillo living in Brazil, Paraguay, 

 and Buenos Ayres. It is also denominated the Bolita, 

 on account of a propensity to roll itself up into a ball. It 

 is nearly as large as the Poyou, excluding the tail, which 

 in the Mataco is reduced to a mere appendage scarcely 

 more than two niches in length. The limbs and feet are 

 rather small and feeble. The head is short, pear-shaped, 

 and armed with a cephalic mail ; whilst the bucklers, 

 which are made up of osseous polygonal plates somewhat 

 irregularly disposed, are strongly developed and sepa- 

 rated from each other by three broad, movable bands ; 

 this latter character rendering the Mataco distinct 

 from all other species of armadillo. The ears are 

 comparatively short and rounded. The Mataco is 

 rather a scarce animal, probably from the facility with 

 which it is captured; for, when pursued, having no 

 burrows wherein to hide itself, and being a slow runner, 

 its only mode of defence consists in rolling itself up 

 into a helpless sphere. 



THE GREAT ARMADILLO (Dasypus gigas) is not 

 only distinguished by its great bulk, but also by the 

 possession of a multitude of molar teeth, varying in 

 number from eighteen to one hundred. Exclusive of 

 the tail, the body measures about forty inches in 

 length, while the caudal extension would give us some 

 sixteen or eighteen inches more. The ears are small, 

 but the head is more cylindrical than in the generality 

 of species. The humeral and iliac bucklers are made 

 up of numerous rows of square-shaped plates, and are 

 separated from each other by twelve or more movable 

 bands inclosing scutes of a similar character. The 

 long tail is comparatively stout at the base, and is 

 armed throughout with a close-set mail of osseous 

 rings, presenting externally an appearance of spiral 

 lines crossing each other obliquely. The native Botu- 

 codos employ this dermal armour of the tail to form 

 speaking trumpets, which they use in the densely 

 wood-bound forests of Brazil and Surinam. The digits 

 of the fore-feet are enormously developed, as hi the 

 Tatouay, the middle and fourth toes being furnished 

 with large trenchant claws. These digging weapons 

 they employ with such skill and power, that hi bury- 

 ing then- dead the natives are obliged to place strong 

 barriers of stakes, planks, and stones in order to have 

 a resting-place for their departed companions, secure 

 from the depredations of this gigantic carrion-loving 

 armadillo. 



THE PICHICIAGO ( Chlamydophorus truncatus) forms 

 the type of a remarkably aberrant genus, hi many 

 respects closely allied to the true armadillos. It is a 

 native of Mendoza, on the eastern slopes of the Cordil- 

 leras, and of other parts of Chili. In point of size it 

 comes very near to the common mole, the body measur- 

 ing a trifle more than five inches from before backwards. 

 Its anatomy has been very closely investigated by Dr. 



