96 Dr. Burmeister on the Species of Glyptodon. 



G. clavipes had at least thirteen or fifteen and G. tuherculatus 

 seventeen or eighteen of these vertebrae. 



The ribs of the Glyptodon are very slender, and broader than 

 thick. Each one has a rather long head, with an articular surface 

 on the two sides, adapted to the two articulations, which are 

 almost united, like a X, in the excavations of the external side 

 of the lateral processes of the spinal canal. Immediately behind 

 the head they are delicate, then gradually expand and assume a 

 cylindrical form. They unite with the sternum by the medium 

 of strong sternocostal bones, of which there are five pairs, and 

 some loose ones ; but, as the sternum is wanting, 1 cannot exactly 

 describe this part of the skeleton. Probably it was very delicate, 

 and has been broken in consequence. Neither have I seen, up 

 to this day, the clavicle of this animal, which it ought to have, 

 as is demonstrated by the analogy of the existing Armadillos. 



The general number of ribs of the G. sjnnicaudus is fourteen 

 pairs, of which three pairs unite with the first, tiivertebral bone 

 of the vertebral canal, and eleven pairs with the second bone. 



The form of the scapula is very peculiar, as it is a very slender 

 and long plate of a rhomboidal form, rather short and round in 

 the anterior portion, but very long and acute posteriorly. There 

 arises from the external surface, a little before the centrum, a 

 crest, low at the commencement, which descends down to the 

 articular cavity for the arm, to which it prolongs itself in a very 

 strong, flattened, and curved process, like a pothook, which is 

 the acromion. Behind this is found the rather narrow articu- 

 lately cavity for the arm, a little concave and elongate, and with 

 a short protuberance on the fore part of its inner side, which is 

 termed the coracoid process. 



The bones of the arm and of the leg are very robust, especi- 

 ally those of the latter. The humerus has the form of a 

 mashorca, a little curved inferiorly, and the two bones of the 

 forearm are united in such a manner that the pronation and 

 supination of the hand is impossible ; the hand appears to have 

 possessed little power of rotation. The carpus comprises seven 

 small bones, but wants the os uncifornie of the hand of Man. The 

 form of the os pisiforme is very peculiar, as it is a long and broad 

 bone, of the form of a small tongue, united articularly with the 

 ulna. The largest bones of the interior of the hand are the meta- 

 carpals, with the exception of the thumb, which is small, and is 

 prolonged downwards into a small round head. The thumb is 

 destitute of phalanges, excepting one small ungual phalanx, which 

 is connected with the metacarpal. The other three toes have 

 two very short phalanges on each, and a very large ungual bone. 



MM. D' Alton and Huxleyhave described the hand oi Glyptodon 

 as possessing five digits, the first taking the fourth toe for the 



