292 



VERTEBRATE ANIMALS. 



appropriate one. In all, the toes are furnished ■with long and 

 powerful claws. 



The Edentata admit of division into two sections, accord- 

 ing as they live upon a vegetable diet and live in trees, or are 

 carnivorous and live upon or below the ground. In the first 

 section are only the Sloths (Bradypodidm), which are exclu- 

 sively confined to South America, inhabiting the vast primeval 

 forests of this continent. They are in every way adapted for 

 an arboreal life, and are " destined to be produced, to live, and 

 to die on trees." They are excessively 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 downward from the branches of the 



Fig. 144. — Edentata. {ChlamyplKyrus fruncaiug.) 



trees. The Armadillos (Dasypodidce) are also exclusively 

 confined to South America ; but they are carnivorous, burrow- 

 ing animals, and are furnished with strong digging-claws. 

 The upper surface of the body is covered with a kind of armor, 

 formed of hard, bony plates or shields, which are united at 

 their edges (Fig. 144). Most of them can roll themselves up 

 into a ball, and they can all bury themselves in the ground 

 when pursued. 



The remaining South American Edentates are the hairy 

 Ant-eaters, of which the best known is the great Ant-eater 

 {Myrmecophaga jubata). The body in this family is covered 

 with hair, the tail is long, and the teeth are altogether want- 

 ing. They feed chiefly upon ants and termites, which they 



