OF CREATION. 353 



chydermatous species, called the Toxodon,* showing 

 many curious points of resemblance to the dinothere, 

 but more nearly approaching the rodents (e. g. beaver, 

 &c.) in some important respects. There are also the 

 remains of another interesting and very large species, 

 called the Macrauchenia, which was a sort of camel, 

 connecting the pachyderms with the ruminants. These 

 have been found to possess considerable interest, and 

 assist in bringing the whole group of fossils more im- 

 mediately into comparison with those of other parts 

 of the world. 



The Toxodon, like the Dinotherium, is chiefly 

 known by portions of the skull, and is almost as 

 remarkable for the position and arrangement of its 

 gnawing teeth, as the giant of the middle tertiary 

 period in Enrope seems to have been for its singular 

 tusks, and their position in the lower jaw. The di- 

 mensions of the skull show that the Toxodon must 

 have rivalled the largest quadrupeds in this respect ; 

 and its general proportions, its peculiarities of form, 

 and its structure, prove clearly that this extinct genus 

 differed essentially from any other animal hitherto 

 described. 



The general form of the skull of the Toxodon 

 seems to present no analogies with that of the ele- 

 phant, or indeed with any of the larger quadrupeds. 

 The teeth, of which there are seven grinders on each 

 side of the upper jaw, and two incisors, one of them 

 extremely large, and almost like those of a beaver, 

 sufficiently indicate the peculiarities in this respect ; 

 and from these the name of the genus has been derived. 



One peculiarity in the skull worthy of notice is 



* TOOJ> (toxon), a bow ; O^OVQ (odous), a tooth. 



