Description of the Bones of a new Fossil Animal. 79 



the ribs vary in this respect from two to four and a half inches, 

 according to their relative positions on the spine. Their struc- 

 ture is well developed. 



Sternum. — Very little if any portion of this bone has as yet 

 been found, either of the megatherium or megalonyx. Of the 

 present animal we have a sternal piece, consisting of four bones 

 united, measuring collectively thirteen and a half inches. There 

 is one piece wanting from the top or anterior part of the column ; 

 another, or others, at the lower or posterior end. The second or 

 top piece of this specimen measures five inches wide, three in 

 depth, and five inches and five tenths in length. A longitudinal 

 groove or channel runs along the inner surface. The facets for 

 articulation with the cartilages of the ribs, measure from two to 

 two and a half inches. Plate II, figs. 3, 4 and 5 — transverse sec- 

 tions. 



Pelvis. — A portion of the posterior, upper and lateral parts of 

 the ilium, with four sacral vertebras, are preserved, all ossified 

 together ; the anterior vertebra only of this piece being united 

 with the ilium, though the adjoining vertebra above had also 

 been articulated with the bones of the pelvis. The sacral bones 

 proper had all lost their inner faces by decay. This portion of 

 the ilium belonged to the left side ; the whole is of a firm and 

 massive structure. Three and a half inches below the sacro-iliac 

 juncture, is another facet for union with the ischium, three by 

 two inches in size. Vid. Plate III ; fig. 7, the external, and fig. 

 8, internal view ; fig. 9, articulating surface of the sacrum. 



The present type is made up of points uniting it with the Me- 

 gatherium, Megalonyx, Orycteropus, and Chlamyphorus, together 

 with developments sui generis sufficiently characteristic. 



P. S. Since the above memoir was presented to the American 

 Philosophical Society for publication, I have observed in the 

 American Journal of Science and Arts, Vol; xli, p. 136, a very in- 

 teresting notice of a new locality of similar fossil bones, commu- 

 nicated by Dr. H. C. Perkins, of Newburyport, Mass. These 

 remains were found by Mr. E. Young, in December, 1839, on 

 the Walhamet or Multnomah River, a tributary of the Columbia 

 or Oregon, in latitude 41° north, about twelve feet under the 

 earth. A tooth and os humeri of the Orycterotherium Missouri- 

 ense, were found in company with the remains of Bos and Ele- 



