380 MEMOIRS OF THE CARNEGIE MUSEUM. 
head of the corresponding metacarpal not end to end, as in other quadrupeds, but in 
a cavity excavated in its upper surface and considerably enlarged posteriorly. This 
cavity, which is quite deep, is rounded and marked at its posterior border by a de- 
pression, over which plays the median ridge, which does not appear until the back of 
the head of the metacarpal is reached. This mode of articulation, causing the whole 
weight of the body to be carried upon the broad base provided by the anterior pha- 
langes, would greatly aid the animal in walking by decreasing the embarrassment 
occasioned by its enormous claws, which we may believe to have been habitually 
bent underneath. It is possible to form a conception of the effect produced in this 
way by imagining a man walking upon his toes, the soles of the feet being raised a 
little, and the big toes bent backward.” (Translation W. J. H.) 
LARTET, Epovarp A. I. H.—< Sur les débris fossiles trouvés a Sansan, et sur les animaux 
antediluviens en général.” Extrait d’une lettre de M. Lartet 4 M. Flourens. (Com- 
missaire M. de Blainville.) Comptes Rendus des Séances de |’Académie des Sciences, 
1837, T. V, 158-9. 
On page 159 it is stated that M. Lartet in his letter ‘made some statements in 
regard to the disposition of the bones in the digits of the huge edentate the remains 
of which had been found at Sansan, but these remarks, which are designed to correct 
an opinion previously expressed by the author, would be difficult to understand without 
the figure, which M. Lartet has transmitted with his letter.’ This figure is not 
published in the Comptes Rendus. 
Dr BuaInvILLE, Henrt Martz Ducrotay.— Rapport sur un nouvel envor de fossiles pro- 
venant du dépdt de Sansan.’’ Par M. de Blainville. Comptes Rendus des Séances 
de l’Académie des Sciences, 1837, Vol. V, pp. 417-427. 
The report presented by M. de Blainville related to the sending of fossils made by 
M. Lartet and his letter of which acknowledgment was made at the session of August 
7th. 
On page 418 M. de Blainville remarks: “ In the first place he (M. Lartet) rectifies 
with a frankness as loyal as explicit an error, which in view of his isolated position is 
perfectly excusable. The mistake he made occurred when speaking of the mode of 
locomotion of the singular and gigantic animal belonging to the edentates, of which 
he had only found a single tooth and some phalanges at the time of his first shipment - 
of specimens. To this animal he has felt justified since that time in applying the name 
Macrotherium, which we very willingly shall adopt. The method of locomotion which 
M. Lartet now proposes in the case of this animal is much more in accordance with 
analogies and is probably correct.”’ (Trans. W. J. H.) 
On page 424 M. de Blainville says: “‘ Of the greatest interest are some new fragments 
of the gigantic Macrotherium, showing plainly that the digits possessed an organization 
very analogous to the same parts in the Orycteropus, a living edentate, confined to the 
southern extremity of Africa.” (Trans. W. J. H.) 
