420 Quadrupeds. 



" In the Orycterope we find, strangely repeated, a microscopic structure character- 

 istic of the teeth of the ray and the saw-fish, very different from any modification in 

 the teeth of other Edentata or of other Mammalia. The intimate structure of the 

 teeth of the Megatherioids and Sloths is quite as peculiar to them among Mammalia, 

 hut this modification has not been observed in any other class of vertebrate animals." 

 —p. 165. 



We have only to subjoin Professor Owen's conspectus of the fossil 

 sloths, and to recommend his admirable work to the attention of every 

 comparative anatomist. It is one, from the perusal of which no one 

 can rise uninstructed : the language is careful, terse, and never re- 

 dundant ; the knowledge displayed accurate and profound ; and the 

 reasoning fair, forcible, and almost irresistible. 



LIST OF THE SLOTHS. 



Order. — Bruta, Linnceus. 

 Tribe. — Phyllophaga or Leafeaters. 

 Family I. — Tardigrada or recent Sloths. 

 tSenus 1. — Bradypus. Genus 2. — Cholcepus. 



Family II. — Gravigrada or fossil Sloths. 

 Genus. 1. — Megalostyx. Genus 4. — Scelidotherium. 



Sp. — Jeffersoni Sp.— leptocephalum. 



Genus 2. — Megatherium. „ Cuvieri. 



Sp. — Cuvieri. „ Bucklandi. 



Genus 3. — Mylodon. „ minutum. 



Sp. — Darwinii. Genus 5. — Ccelodon. 



„ Harlani. Genus 6. — Sphenodon. 



„ robustus. 



We cannot conclude our notice of this work, without speaking in 

 praise of the numerous and beautiful lithographic plates drawn by 

 G. Scharf. They represent bones more faithfully than any we have 

 previously seen. K. 



Anecdote of a Hare. I used frequently to walk, during the winter months, with my 

 gun, on the sea-wall and the saltings beyond it, in pursuit of wild fowl, of which seve- 

 ral species were frequently to be found. These saltings, which produce, during the 

 summer, a little coarse herbage for sheep, afford also a very favourite resort for hares 

 to sit. At spring tides they are completely covered with water : the hares remain on 

 their forms till the tide flows up to them, and are then frequently obliged to swim off. 

 On one occasion, as I was walking on the wall I saw a hare rise from its form, but in- 

 stantly squat down again on perceiving me. I staid to see whether its fear of me 

 would overcome its evident desire to escape the coming flood. As the tide rose around 

 it, it gradually raised itself up so as barely to leave its head visible above water, with 

 its ears kept closely on its neck ; and this it continued to do till a considerable portion 



