34. THE TOXODON. 171 



32. The Glyptodon, — so named from the deeply- 

 grooved teeth, — was an animal allied to the armadillos, 

 and possessed a carapace, or coat of mail, formed of poly- 

 gonal bony plates united by suture, which constituted an 

 impenetrable covering over the upper part of the body. The 

 plates of this bony integument were not disposed in rings 

 as in the armadillo, but were articulated to each other, and 

 formed a tesselated cylinder, or rather arch; the tail was 

 inclosed in a case of this kind, like a sword in its scabbard.* 



Such were the gigantic Edentata that inhabited the dry 

 land of South America at a comparatively modern period ; 

 and it is worthy of especial remark, that though these 

 beings have long been extinct, sloths, ant-eaters, and arma- 

 dillos, but of diminutive size, are still the characteristic 

 animals of that country. 



33. The Toxodon. — The bones of several other extinct 

 quadrupeds have been found with the relics of the gigantic 

 sloths and armadillos. Among these are the skull and 

 teeth of an animal of large size, named by Professor Owen, 

 Toxodon, from the singularly curved form of its molar teeth. 

 The skull is twenty-eight inches long, and sixteen broad, and 

 presents a blending of the osteological characters of the seve- 

 ral natural orders of the rodentia, ruminantia, and cetacea. 



The Macrauchenia, another extinct pachyderm, found 

 in Patagonia, unites in a remarkable degree the structure 

 of the Camel and Tapir ; it must have somewhat resembled 

 the Llama, but had a neck surpassing in length that of any 

 other animal, except the Giraffe.*)" 



34. Fossil hippopotamus, rhinoceros, horse, &c. — 

 With the remains of the mammoth, elephant, and other 



* A splendid specimen of the bony cuirass of the Glyptodon is in 

 the Museum of the College of Surgeons. 



f An elaborate account of the extinct animals of South America, by 

 Professor Owen, will be found in the " Natural History of the Yoyage 

 of the Beagle," by Mr. Darwin. 



