Order 6. EDENTATA. 113 



The Encoubert Armadillo, Payou of A/zara, (D. sexcinctm and octodccemcinctus, Lin.), which is distinguished 

 from the rest of the genus by having a tooth on each side fixed in the intermaxillary bone : its coat of mail has six 

 or seven bands, with smooth, large, and angular compartments ; tail middle-sized, and annulated only h.i its base. 

 The Pichiy of Azzara, and an allied species, the Hairy Armadillo (Tatou velu, Az.), resemble the Encoabti-t 

 except in wanting the intermaxillary teeth, in having the posterior shell denticulated, and the parts that are not 

 plated clad with longer and more close-set hairs. 



A third principal division of these animals exhibits five toes to the fore-feet, but disposed obliquely, 

 BO that the thumb and index are slender, the latter being longest, the middle one bearing an enormous 

 trenchant claw, the next having a shorter claw, and the fifth being shortest of any. This structure 

 enables them to cut up the ground, and burrow very rapidly, or at any rate to hold on so firmly to the 

 sides of their excavation as to be very difficult to detach. In this subdivision, or 



The Cabassous, — 

 There are eight or nine teeth on each side of both jaws. 



The Cabassou propre, Buflf. ; Tatouay, d'Azz. ; (D. unicinctus, Lin.) — ^Twelve intermediate bands ; the tail long 

 and tuberculated ; the compartments of the bands and skin are square, and broader than long ; five toes before, 

 of which four are furnished with enormous claws, trenchant on their outer border. It attains a great size. 



The Priodontes, F. Cuv., — 



With five anterior toes still more unequal, and claws even exceeding those of the Cabassous, possess 

 twenty-two or twenty -four small teeth on each side above and below, making eighty-eight or ninety-six 

 in all. Such is 



The Giant Armadillo (D. ffiffas, Cuv.)— With twelve or thirteen intermediate bands, a long tail covered with 

 imbricated scales, the compartments of which are square, and broader than long. It is the largest species of 

 Armadillo, being sometimes three feet in length without the tail. 



At the termination of the Armadillos, as a very distinct subgenus, [genus, or even family, to which 

 the colossal Megatherium also appenains], may be placed 



The Chlamyphores {Chlamyphorus, Har.), — 

 Wliich have ten teeth on each side of both jaws, five toes on each foot, the anterior claws very large, 

 crooked, compressed, and furnishing (as in the Cabassous) a very powerful cutting instrument [adapted 

 for digging]. The back is covered with a series of scaly pieces, arranged transversely, without any 

 solid buckler either before or behind, but forming a sort of cuirass, which is only connected with the 

 body along the spine. The hind part of the body is abruptly truncated, and the tail incurved and 

 partially attached to the under part of the body : [it is covered with small scales, and expanded at the 

 tip. The osteology of this animal, as given by Mr. Yarrell {Zool. Journ., No. xii.), is considerably allied 

 to that of the Cabassous. There is a singular tuberosity on the skull over each eyebrow. 



We know but of one (Chlamyphorus iruncatus, Harlan), only five or six inches in length ; it is a native of the 

 interior of Chili, where it passes most of its time under ground, [and is either very rare (perhaps verging towards 

 extinction), or difficult to obtain on account of its subterraneous habits]. 



N.B. There have been found, in America, some fossil bones of a gigantic Armadillo, which appears to have been 

 about ten feet long exclusive of the tail. (See my Ossemens Fossiles, vol. v. part 1, p. 191, note.) 



The Orycteropes {^Orycteropus, Geof.) — 

 Have been long confounded with the Ant-eaters, inasmuch as they subsist on the same food, have a 

 similar-formed head, and a tongue which is somewhat extensible ; but they are distinguished by having 

 grinding teeth, and fiat claws, adapted for burrowing rather than for cutting open ant-hills. The 

 structure of their teeth is diflferent from that of all other quadrupeds ; they are solid cylinders, traversed, 

 like reeds, in a longitudinal direction, by an infinitude of little canals. The stomach is simple, and 

 muscular towards its outlet, and the coecum small and obtuse. 



Only one species is known of this genus, the Cape Orycterope (Myrmecophaga capensis, Pallas), which the 

 Dutch colonists style the Ground Hog. It is an animal about the size of a Badger or larger, low upon the le^s, 

 with scanty greyish-brown hair, and tail shorter than the body and as little clad. It inhabits burrows, which it 

 forms with extreme rapidity ; and its flesh is eaten. 



The remaining Edentata possess no grinders whatever, and consequently have no teeth 

 at all. There are two genera. 



H 



