DaSYPID/K,- 



-MAMMALIA.- 



-Dasypid.e. 



'A 



molars aro thirty in number — fourteen below and 

 sixteen in the upper series. The ears are largely 

 fleveloped, and about two inches from root to tip. 

 One of the most distinguishing characteristics is seen 

 in the enormous enlargement of tlie digits of the 

 anterior feet. These clearly demonstrate the exalted 

 uature of its buirowing powers ; but beyond this Httle 

 is knowni of its habits. In tlie catalogue of Edentata 

 preserved in the British Museum, this species is de- 

 nominated Xennrus unkindus. 



THE POYOU {Dasypiis sexcinctus) is one of the 

 commonest forms of armadillo, and is especially abun- 

 dant in the province of Paraguay. It is at once 

 recognized by its remarkable breadth as compared 

 ■vith its height. The body measures sixteen inches 

 from the tip of the muzzle to the root of the tail ; this 

 organ bemg about eight mches long, and protected at 

 the base by three or four osseous plates in the form 

 of rings, while throughout the remainder of its extent 

 it is covered with small scaly tubercles. The limbs, 

 as we have hinted, are very short; nevertheless the 

 animal is very swift of foot. The head is broad, flat, 

 triangular, and truncated at the muzzle ; the ears being 

 of moderate size, and widely separated from each otlier. 

 Its habits are similar to tliose of its congeners ; but as it 

 is particularly fond of canion, its flesh is not considered 

 by the Spanish and other European colonists of South 

 America to be so good eatmg, as those species whoso 

 diet is exclusively vegetable. 



THE HAIKY ABMADILLO {Dasi/pus villosus) is 

 rather smaller than the above, and is a native of 

 r.iicnos Ayres and the districts south of the Rio de 

 la Plata. So abundant is it in the plains of these 

 regions, that D'Azara ■writes as follows : — " In an 

 expedition which I made into tlie mterior, between 

 the parallels of 35° and 36° south latitude, I met 

 with vast multitudes of this species of armadillo ; so 

 that tliere was scarcely an individual ot the party 

 who did not each day capture one or two at least ; 

 for, mJike the Poyou, which moves abroad only dur- 

 ing tlie night, this animal is to be found at all times, 

 and upon being alarmed promptly conceals itself, if 

 not intercepted. In March and April, when I saw 

 them, they were so extremely fat that their flesh sur- 

 feited and palled tlie appetite ; Ilot^vitllstanding which, 

 the pioneers and soldiers ate tliem roasted, and pre- 

 ferred them to beef and veal." The distmguished 

 Spanish ofiicer and natinahst further observes, that 

 the Hahy Armadillo " scents the carcasses ot dead 

 horses from a great distance, and runs to devour them ; 

 but, as it is unable to penetrate the hide, it bm'rows 

 imder the body till it finds a place wliich the mois- 

 ture of the soil has already begim to render putrid. 

 Here it makes an entrance with its claws, and eats its 

 way into the interior, where it continues feastmg on 

 the putrid flesh tiU nothing remains but the hide and 

 bones ; and so perfectly do these preserve tlieir posi- 

 tion, that it is mipossible from a mere external view to 

 anticipate the operations which the armadillos have 

 been carrying on within." This species does not con- 

 struct bmrows for the purjjoses of habitation, and is 

 always met with on dry open grounds. It is, as the 

 name implies, better provided with hair than obtains 



in the case of its congeners. The bands vary numeri- 

 cally, tliere being usually six or seven. The teeth are 

 thirty-two in number, equally divided above and be- 

 low. The ears are conspicuously developed ; but the 

 most characteristic feature of tliis species arises from 

 tlie sharp, projectmg margin of tlie lateral bands and 

 tesselated bucklers at the lower part of the bodj'. 



THE MATACO {Dasyjms tricinctus) is another very 

 interesting form of armadillo living in Brazil, Paraguay, 

 and Buenos Ayres. It is also denominated the Bolita, 

 on accoimt of a propensity to roll itself up into a ball. It 

 is nearly as large as tlie Poyou, excluding the tad, which 

 in the Mataco is reduced to a mere appendage scarcely 

 more than two inches in lengtli. The limbs and feet are 

 rather small and feeble. The head is short., pear-shaped, 

 and armed with a cephalic mail ; whilst the bucklers, 

 which are made up of osseous polygonal plates somewhat 

 iiTCgularly disposed, are strongly developed and sepa- 

 rated from each other by three broad, movable bands ; 

 this latter character rendering the Mataco distinct 

 from all otlier species of armadillo. The ears are 

 comparatively short and rounded. The Mataco is 

 ratlier a scarce animal, probably from the facility with 

 which it is captured ; for, when pursued, havuig no 

 burrows wherein to liide itself, and being a slow runner, 

 its only mode of defence consists in roUmg itself up 

 into a helpless sphere. 



THE GREAT ABIiIASILLO [Dasypua gigas) is not 

 only distinguished by its great bulk, but also by the 

 possession of a multitude of molar teeth, varj-ing in 

 number from eighteen to one hundred. Exclusive of 

 the tail, the body measures about forty inches in 

 lengtli, while the caudal extension would give us some 

 sixteen or eighteen inches more. The ears are small, 

 but tlie head is more cylindrical than in the generality 

 of species. The humeral and iliac bucklers are made 

 up of numerous rows of square-shaped plates, and are 

 separated from each other by twelve or more movable 

 bands inclosing scutes of a similar character. The 

 long tail is comparatively stout at the base, and is 

 armed throughout with a close-set mail of osseous 

 rings, presentuig externally an appearance of spiral 

 lines crossing each other obliquely. The native Botu- 

 codos employ this dermal armour of the tail to fonn 

 speaking trumpets, which they use in the densely 

 wood-bound forests of Brazil and Surinam. The digits 

 of the fore-feet are enormously developed, as in the 

 Tatouay, tlie middle and fourth toes being furnished 

 with large trenchant claws. These digging weapons 

 they employ with such skill and power, that in bury- 

 ing their dead tlie natives are obhged to place strong 

 barriers of stakes, planks, and stones m order to have 

 a resting-place for their departed companions, secure 

 from the depredations of this gigantic carrion-loving 

 armadillo. 



THE FICHICIA60 ( Chlamydophorus truncatus) forms 

 the type of a remarkably aberrant genus, in many 

 respects closely aUicd to the true armadUlos. It is a 

 native of Mendoza, on the eastern slopes of die Cordil- 

 leras, and of otlier parts of ChUi. Li point of size it 

 comes very near to the common mole, the body measur- 

 ing a trifle more than five inches from before backwards. 

 Its anatomy lias been very closely mvestigated by Dr. 



