104 MAMMALIA. 



dead bodies. They all belong to the hot, or at least to the temperate parts 

 of America. 



They may be divided into subgenera from considerations drawn from the 

 structure of their fore feet and the number of their teeth. Most of them 

 have only four toes to the anterior feet, the two middle ones of which are 

 the longest. These subgenera are 



Cachicamtjs, Cuv. (to which belongs the 9-banded Armadillo); Apara, 

 Cuv. (3-banded Armadillo); Encottbiktus, Cuv. (6-banded Annadillo); Ca- 

 BAssous, Cuv. (The Tatouay); Pkiodois-, Fr. Cuv. (The Giant Armadillo); 

 and the Clamtphortjs, Harl., of which only one is known, the C iruncatus, 

 Harl.' 



It appears that the fossil bones of a Tatou of gigantic size, being ten feet 

 long exclusive of the taU, have been found in America. See Cuv. Oss. Foss. 

 v. part 1, p. 191, note. 



Orycteropus, Geoff.(l) 

 The animals of this genus were for a long time confoimded with the Ant- 

 Eaters on account of their using the same kind of food, having a similar head, 

 and a tongue somewhat extensible; but they are distinguished from them by 

 being furnished with gi-mders and flat nails, formed for digging and not 

 trenchant. The structure of their teeth differs from that of all other quad- 

 rupeds; they are sohd cylinders traversed hke reeds, in a longitudiaal di- 

 rection, with an infinitude of httle canals. There is only one species known. 

 Oryd. capensis. (The Cape Ground-Hog. ) It is an animal about the size 

 of the Badger or larger; stands low; has short hah-, and is of a brownish-grey. 

 The tail is not so long as the body, and is covered with equally short hairs. 

 It has four toes before, and five behind. Inhabits buiTOws, which it exca- 

 vates with great facUity. The flesh is eaten. 



The other ordinary Edentata have no grinders, and consequently 

 no teeth of any description. They also form two genera. 



Myrmecophaga, Lin. 

 The Jlnt-Eaters are hairy animals with a long muzzle terminated by a 

 small toothless mouth, from which is proti'uded a fiUform tongue suscepti- 

 ble of considerable elongation, and which they insinuate mto Ant-liills and 

 the nests of the Termites, whence these insects are withdrawn by being en- 

 tangled in the viscid saliva that covers it. The naUs of the fore feet, strong 

 and trenchant, and varying m number according to the species, sei"ve to tear 

 up the nests of the Termites, and aff'ord the means of defence. 



They all inhabit the hot and temperate parts of the western continent, 

 and produce but a single young one at a bh-th, which they cany on their 

 back. 



(1) Oryderopus, feet fitted for digging. 



