90 Dr. Burmeister on the Species of Glyptodon 



and the more or less important remains of five more individuals, 

 amongst which we have met with some specific differences from 

 the two principal species from the soil of Buenos Ayres. Let us 

 first describe the skeleton in general. 



The skull is very thick, and, comparing it with the acute skulls 

 of existing Armadillos, is very short and obtuse. The nasal bone, 

 the forehead, and the vertex being in the same plane with the 

 occiput, form a flat surface of 11 inches in length by 5^ in width 

 between the eyes. This short figure depends principally on the 

 shape of the nasal bone, which is so short that the point of the 

 lower mandible by far surpasses that of the upper, which latter 

 was in this animal much longer in the living state, as there then 

 existed a broad and strong cartilage in this organ somewhat pro- 

 minent from the head. It is probable that the living animal might 

 have had a thick and strong snout, to grub up the earth, and 

 seek its food in this manner, as the Armadillos do at present. 

 It is not very evident up to what point the cranial bones ex- 

 tended, from the want of sutures of the skull, since it is entirely 

 in one piece, and destitute of any suture, without any vestige of 

 the primitive bones of the young animal. Neither can the frontal 

 bones be distinguished from those of the vertex nor from those 

 of the occiput, because they are all united-in one capsule. The 

 perpendicular part of the occiput is very low, and the foramen 

 occipitale is of a transversely elliptical shape, which is not met 

 with in any other mammal. The internal cavity of the cranium 

 is of a surprising smallness, as was also the brain ; and these 

 characters indicate that this was an animal exceedingly stupid 

 and sluggish — qualities which are also indicated by the size of 

 the lower mandible and the great extent of its grinding-portion. 



There is no other animal which has so descending a palate 

 {sic in orig.) nor such projecting teeth as the Glyptodon. Above 

 all, the ascending ramus of the inferior mandible is very high, 

 in such a proportion that no animal equals it in this respect. 

 The anterior inclination of this ramus, which forms with the 

 horizontal ramus an angle smaller than a rectangle, is a character 

 peculiar to the Glyptodon-, and this inclination indicates a 

 powerful grinding-apparatus, which surpasses that of other 

 MammaUa, even that of the Elephant. The symphysis is pro- 

 duced, like the spout of a jug [la hoca de un cdntaro), this part 

 being toothless ; there are eight teeth on each side of the inferior 

 and superior mandibles, more or less alike in form ; but those 

 of the upper mandible are a little larger, and those of the fore 

 part of each jaw slightly narrower. 



Each tooth is formed by the conjunction of three rhombic 

 prisms, which have on each side deep excavations between the 

 prominent points of the three prisms. This form may be com- 



