ORDERS OF MAMMALIA. 



325 



but one there are no incisors at all. In two genera only are there 

 no teeth ; so that the name Edentata is not a very appropriate one. 

 In all, the toea are furnished with long and powerful claws. 



The order Edentata is conveniently divided into two great sec- 

 tions, in accordance with the nature of the food, the one section 

 being herbivorous, the other insectivorous. In the former section 

 is the single group of the Sloths {Bradypodidce). In the latter are 

 the two groups of the Armadillos {Dasypodidce) and the vai-ious 

 species of Ant-eaters. 



The Sloths {Bradypodidai) are exclusively confined to South 

 America, inhabiting the vast primeval forests of this continent. 



Fig. 231.— The Three-banded Armadillo (Tolypeutes conurus), one-third of the 

 natural size. (After Murie.) 



They are in every way adapted for an arboreal life, and are " des- 

 tined to be produced, to live, and to die on trees." They are very 

 awkward when upon the ground ; but the feet are furnished with 

 extremely long curved claws, so that the animal is enabled to move 

 about freely suspended back downwards from the branches of the 

 trees. 



The second family of the Edentata is that of the Da^podidce or 



Armadillos. These are also found exclusively in South America, 



but they are very dififerent in their habits. The Armadillos (fig. 



231) are burrowing animals, furnished with strong digging -claws 



15 



