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CHARLES DARWIN 



large as a rhinoceros : in the structure of its heacl it comes, 

 according to Mr. Owen, nearest to the Cape Anteater, but 

 in some other respects it approaches to the armadilloes. 

 Fourthly, the Mylodon Darwinii, a closely related genus of 

 little inferior size. Fifthly, another gigantic edental quadru- 

 ped. Sixthly, a large animal, with an osseous coat in com- 

 partments, very like that of an armadillo. Seventhly, an 

 extinct kind of horse, to which I shall have again to refer. 

 Eighthly, a tooth of a Pachydermatous animal, probably the 

 same with the Macrauchenia, a huge beast with a long neck 

 like a camel, which I shall also refer to again. Lastly, the 

 Toxodon, perhaps one of the strangest animals ever dis- 

 covered: in size it equalled an elephant or megatherium, but 

 the structure of its teeth, as Mr. Owen states, proves in- 

 disputably that it was intimately related to the Gnawers, the 

 order which, at the present day, includes most of the smallest 

 quadrupeds: in many details it is allied to the Pachyder- 

 mata: judging from the position of its eyes, ears, and nos- 

 trils, it was probably aquatic, like the Dugong and Manatee, 

 to which it is also allied. How wonderfully are the different 

 Orders, at the present time so well separated, blended to- 

 gether in different points of the structure of the Toxodon! 



The remains of these nine great quadrupeds, and many 

 detached bones, were found embedded on the beach, within 

 the space of about 200 yards square. It is a remarkable cir- 

 cumstance that so many different species should be found 

 together; and it proves how numerous in kind the ancient 

 inhabitants of this country must have been. At the distance 

 of about thirty miles from Punta Alta, in a cliff of red earth, 

 I found several fragments of bones, some of large size. 

 Among them were the teeth of a gnawer, equalling in size 

 and closely resembling those of the Capybara, whose habits 

 have been described; and therefore, probably, an aquatic 

 animal. There was also part of the head of a Ctenomys; the 

 species being different from the Tucutuco, but with a close 

 general resemblance. The red earth, like that of the Pampas, 

 in which these remains were embedded, contains, according 

 to Professor Ehrenberg, eight fresh-water and one salt-water 

 infusorial animalcule; therefore, probably, it was an estuary 

 deposit. 



