288 CLASS MAMMALIA. 



In his description of this species, that able zoologist has 

 published some valuable allusions to others of its congeners. 

 We shall therefore proceed with his account, as not merely 

 descriptive of the particular species named, but as illus- 

 trative of the whole genus. 



These animals are still very imperfectly known, though 

 d'Azara has given us much information about them. There 

 are a few indifferent figures of some of the species, imper- 

 fect descriptions of others, and scarcely any anatomical 

 observations on their organs ; hence it is impossible to 

 refer the different members of this family, the various 

 species of Armadillos, to the different subgenera into 

 which they ought to be divided. We are enabled, how- 

 ever, to mark the characters of some of these sub-genera, 

 and the Encoubert may be considered as the type of one. 



It has been long known, and was confirmed by d'Azara, 

 that some species of the Armadillo had five toes on all the 

 feet, while others had only four on the anterior feet, and 

 although these differences might have no great effect on 

 the qualities of the species, they were of that character 

 which ought, in conformity with received practice, to dis- 

 tinguish different subgenera. 



But the character which more particularlydistinguishes 

 this species, alluded to in our introduction of it, that is, 

 the presence of incisive teeth, is more important than the 

 variations in the number of toes ; for dentition, whether 

 considered as cause or effect, is ever attended with corre- 

 sponding habits in the animal. The Encoubert, then, in 

 this particular, recedes considerably, not only from its ge- 

 nus, but from its order. 



The group of Armadillos, without incisors, will again be 

 found to require subdivision, not merely from the character 

 of the extremities, but also by the articulation of the lower 

 jaw, the form of the teeth, and the relationship of those in 



