ORDER EDENTATA. 311 



The lower portions of our animal, as well as that beneath 

 the scales, will bear a pretty close comparison with the same 

 parts of the Mole. The hair is finer and longer than in the 

 Mole, and at a distance resembles long staple cotton in 

 appearance. The eye is small; the neck, breast, and shoul- 

 ders are very powerful ; the posterior extremities are short 

 and weak; the anterior short and strong, and furnished 

 with large claws, as in the Moles ; but in the form of the 

 head, the structure and form of the claws, and the external 

 ear, which is apparent when the hair is separated, our 

 animal is totally dissimilar to the Mole. The claws bear 

 some analogy to the sloth, but are articulated to the last 

 phalanx, as in the Mole. Thus far, like the Mole, this 

 animal is eminently constructed for subterranean progres- 

 sion ; and here in all probability any strict analogy with 

 that animal ceases. 



The palm of the anterior extremities is directed rather 

 inwards, whereas in the Mole it is directed outwards, and 

 the nails are destitute of the cutting edge so remarkable in 

 the former. 



The skull and teeth, which differ in shape and in the 

 edentatous character from that of the Mole, are analogous 

 to that of the Armadillo, particularly in the edentatous 

 character and its consequences. The teeth, in structure, 

 however, are more nearly allied to those of the sloth, as 

 they consist of a simple cylinder of bone surrounded with 

 enamel, except the crowns, which are destitute of enamel in 

 the centre ; the roots are hollow. In these particulars of 

 the teeth, together with the short process descending from 

 the zygomatic arch, as well as in the form of the fore claws, 

 there is considerable similitude between this animal and 

 the Sloths, but in all other points of organization they 

 are widely separated. 



As far as the nature of the subject will admit, continues 



