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III. On the Ilahits, Structure, and Belations of the Three-handed Armadillo (Tolypeutes 



conurus, Is. Geoff.), By Dr. James Murie, F.L.S., F.G.S., Sfc. 



(Plates XX.-XXVI.) 



Read February loth, 1872. 



CoNTElfTS. 



I. Introductory and Eemarks concerning Habits. 

 II. Measurements of the Body, Head, and Limbs. 



III. Body exteriorly. 



As in Motion and when rolled up. 

 The Dermal Armour. 

 Chambers for Limbs and Tail. 

 Tegumentary Aspect of Head and Feet. 



IV. Apparatus for drawing the Body together. 

 V. Visceral Organs. 



Contents of Abdomen &c. 

 Chest, Mouth, Larynx, &c. 

 Vessels, Brain, and Nerves. 



VI. Myology. 



Muscles of the Hind Quarters. 

 Spinal and Cranial Muscles. . 

 Muscles of the Fore Quarters. 



VII. The Skeleton. 



Skull and Mandible, 



The Spine. 



Sternum, Costee, and Pelvis. 



Pectoral and Pelvic Extremities. 

 VIII. Eelations to Eeeent and Fossil Genera. 

 IX. Description of the Plates. 



!• Introductory and Remarks concerning Habits. 



On the vast continent of South America, the present home of the Edentates or Eruta, 

 now and again remains of colossal animals turn up, which, studied in the light of 



These 



anatomy, reveal the existence of an ancient fauna typical of more recent forms, 

 old denizens of the tropical glade and plain, whilst foreshadowing the construction now 

 borne by their comparatively tiny heirs of the realm, yet, ancestral-like, possessed solid 

 characters of their own. Such characters, though firmly impressed on their skeletons, 



less conspicuous than the majestic magnitude of the animals themselves 



To the 



travellers and naturalists who have exhumed, under difficulties, those heiiiooms of past 

 ages, aU honour is due. No less creditable is it to palseontologists that they should press 

 on through toil and moil revivifying to the wondering multitude snatches of that Ion 

 vista of the cainozoic times. 



(T 



Here the labours of the zoologist and anatomist supply 



hijjhest 



data from the present fauna which unfold the known and often explain the unkno^N 

 Thus what may be supposed trivial details are afterwards frequently of 



service in expounding abstruse points. 



Preceding writers have sufficiently called attention to the anatomical and palseontc^ 

 gical memoirs ^ on the Loricate section of the Edentata, in which the names of Cuvier, 



Owen, Bapp, Lund, and Burmeister take a first rank 



The latter, as Director of the 



Museum at Buenos Ayres, has lately kindled afresh the interest concerning fossil Eden 



detenmnation of the remain 



U9 



Osteology of the genus Ghjftodon " (Trans. Koy. Soc. 1865, p. 31) 



