GLYPTODONTS. 225 
that of the great ant-eater. The body is long and narrow, with from seven to 
nine movable bands between the scapular and lumbar shields; the former being 
produced on either side of the shoulders, and having a deep notch at the neck. 
Kach bony plate is ornamented with a series of pits arranged in the shape of a V. 
The tail is nearly or quite as long as the body, and surrounded for the greater part 
of its length with complete bony rings. The fore-feet have four long claws, of 
which the inner pair are considerably larger than the others; while the hind-feet 
carry five claws, of which the third is the longest, and the fourth and fifth the 
shortest. The length of the body of the peba armadillo is about 16 inches, and 
that of its tail some 2 inches less. In producing from six to twelve young ata 
birth the peba armadillo differs from all the species hitherto noticed. It inhabits 










CARAPACE AND SKELETON OF GLYPTODON, WITH THE TAIL-SHEATH IMPERFECT 
(x5 nat. size).—After Zittel. 
burrows in the open plains, and feeds largely on carrion, which is said to be stored 
up in the burrows for future consumption. In spite of this unsavoury diet, the 
peba is much hunted for its flesh, which is stated to be of delicate flavour. 
The above-mentioned mulita is a smaller species, with a relatively 
shorter tail. A very remarkable form is the rare shaggy armadillo 
(7. pilosa) from Peru, in which the cheeks and the whole of the carapace, except 
the front margin, as well as the upper parts of the limbs and the under surface of 
the body, are covered with a thick coat of light brown hair, of about an inch and 
a half in length. So dense is this hairy covering that the carapace is completely 
concealed, giving to the creature, save for its mail-clad head, the appearance of an 
ordinary hairy mammal. 
Other Species. 
THE EXTINCT GLYPTODONTS. 
Family GLYPTODONTID. 
As we have seen, the carapace cf the largest existing armadillo scarcely 
exceeds a yard in length; but during the Pleistocene, or latest, geological period, 
there existed in South America a number of gigantic armadillo-like animals, in 
some of which the carapace attained a length of between 6 and 7 feet. All these 
Kdentates differed from the living armadillos in having complex teeth (eight in 
VOL. III.—15 
