1841-42 MEGATHERIUM AMERICANUM 191 



its habits, having ' extensive air-cells introduced 

 between the external and vitreous tables of the 

 skull ' — it had, in fact, a double brain-case, and 

 must have often found the advantage of such a 

 possession. 



' Certain it is that the habits of life, and the 

 conditions under which the mylodon existed,' did 

 render it liable to violent blows on the head, and 

 it was owing to its well-protected brain-case that 

 they were not, in this instance, death blows. 



In the same memoir Owen included a paper 

 on the osteology, natural affinities, and probable 

 habits of the Megatheroid quadrupeds in general, 

 and by the kindness of Dr. Henry Woodward I 

 am able to give a figure of the Megatherium 

 americamim in illustration of the group. 



'January 10, 1842. — A visit from Mrs. Fry 

 — or Elizabeth Fry, as the Friends call her — of 

 prison celebrity. She is sister to Samuel Gurney, 

 and is very like the portraits I have seen of her. 

 Not at all a difficult subject to paint — large, like 

 her brother, with small features and small eyes. 

 She left her carriage at the front gate, walking 

 up to the house without a bonnet, but with a silk 

 cap carried under her costume, which was of a 

 very transparent material. Her manners are 

 ladylike and kind, but, I thought, mildly tolerant 

 and patronising towards R. on the subject of his 

 scientific work. This is not surprising, consider- 

 ing how she has been feted abroad and literally 



