146 MAMMALIA, 
tail partially attached to the under part of the body.* One species only 
is known, the 
C. trudcatus, Harl.,+ which is five or six inches in length, and is 
found in the interior of Chili, where it passes the most of its time 
under ground. 
It appears that the fossil bones of a Tatow 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. 
OrycTerRorus,t Geoff. 
The Orycteropes were for a long time confounded with the Ant-Eaters, 
because they consumed the same kind of food, had the same form of 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 
quadrupeds; they are solid cylinders traversed like reeds, in a longitudi- 
nal direction, with an infinitude of little canals. Their stomach is simple, 
and muscular near the pylorus, their cecum small and obtuse. There is 
only one species known. 
Gryct. capensis; Myrmecophega capensis, Pall.; Buff. Supp. VI. 
xxxi. (The Cape Orycteropus). Called by the Dutch of that co- 
lony, the Earth Pig. 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 holes, 
which it excavates 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. 
Myrmecopuaca, Lin. 
The Ant-Eaters are hairy animals, with a long muzzle terminated by a 
small toothless mouth, from which is protruded a filiform tongue suscep- 
tible of considerable elongation, and which they insinuate into Ant-hills 
and the nests of the Termites, whence these insects are withdrawn by be- 
ing entangled 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 a good means of de- 
fence. When at rest these nails are always half bent inwards, corre- 
sponding to a callosity of the tarsus; hence the animal can only bring the 
side of the foot to the ground. The stomach of the ant-eater is simple 
and muscular towards its pylorus; their intestinal canal moderate, and 
without a cecum.§ 
* We only know this animal by the description of Dr. Harlan, Ann. of the New 
York Lye. I. p. 235, and pl. xxi. 
{ Its osteology, as given by M. Yarael (Zool. Journ. No. 12), is closely allied to 
that of the Cabassous. Over each eye-brow there is a singular ridge. 
{ Orycteropus, which has the feet fitted for digging. 4 
§ Daubenton has discovered in the M. didactyla two very small appendages, which, 
in strictness, may be considered as ceca. I have ascertained that there are none 
in the Tamandua. 
