104 MAMMALIA. 



dead bodies. They all belong to the hot, or at least to the temperate parts 

 of America. 



They may be divided into subgenera from considerations drawn from the 

 structure of their fore feet and the number of their teeth. Most of them 

 have only four toes to the anterior feet, the two middle ones of which are 

 the longest. These subgenera are 



CACHICAMUS, Cuv. (to which belongs the 9-banded Armadillo); APABA, 

 Cuv. (3-banded Armadillo); ENCOUBEBTUS, Cuv. (6-banded Armadillo); CA- 

 BASSOUS, Cuv. (The Tatouay); PBIODON, Fr. Cuv. (The Giant Armadillo); 

 and the CLAMYPHOBUS, Harl., of which only one is known, the C. truncatus, 

 Harl. 



It appears that the fossil bones of a Tbtou of gigantic size, being ten feet 

 long exclusive of the tail, have been found in America. See Cuv. Oss. Foss. 

 V. part 1, p. 191, note. 



ORYCTEROPUS, Geoff.(I) 



The animals of this genus were for a long time confounded with the Ant- 

 Eaters on account of their using the same kind of food, having a similar head, 

 and a' tongue somewhat extensible; but they are distinguished from them by 

 being furnished with grinders and flat nails, formed for digging and not 

 trenchant. The structure of their teeth differs from that of all other quad- 

 rupeds; they are solid cylinders traversed like reeds, in a longitudinal di- 

 rection, with an infinitude of little canals. There is only one species known. 

 Oryct. capensis. (The Cape Ground-Hog.) It is an animal about the size 

 of the Badger or larger; stands low; has short hair, and is of a brownish-grey. 

 The tail is not so long as the body, and is covered with equally short hairs. 

 It has four toes before, and five behind. Inhabits burrows, which it exca- 

 vates with great facility. The flesh is eaten. 



The other ordinary Edentata have no grinders, and consequently 

 no teeth of any description. They also form two genera. 



MYRMECOPHAGA, Lin. 



The JUnt-Eaters are hairy animals with a long muzzle terminated by a 

 small toothless mouth, from which is protruded a filiform tongue suscepti- 

 ble of considerable elongation, and which they insinuate into Ant-hills and 

 the nests of the Termites, whence these insects are withdrawn by being en- 

 tangled in the viscid saliva that covers it. The nails of the fore feet, strong 

 and trenchant, and varying in number according to the species, serve to tear 

 up the nests of the Termites, and afford the means of defence. 



They all inhabit the hot and temperate parts of the western continent, 

 and produce but a single young one at a birth, which they carry on their 

 back. 



(1) Oryderopus, feet fitted for digging. 



