EDENTATES. 
57 
The greater part of tlie north side of the gallery is devoted 
to the exhibition of a magnificent collection of the remains 
of Proboscidea (Dinotheres, Mastodons, and Elephants), 
including the fine series from the Siwalik formation of India 
collected by Caiitley and Falconer; also the Skull of the 
gigantic ruminant Sivatherium (fig. 27), from the same 
deposits, an ally of the African Okapi, ^yith which it is 
connected by Helladothermm of the Grecian Tertiary deposits. 
Another allied type is Samotherium (fig. 28), from the Isle 
of Samos. 
Fig. 28. — Side View of Skull of Samotherium, a giraffe-like ruminant from 
the Pliocene of Samos, Turkish Archipelago. 
In the pavilion, or large room at the end of the gallery, 
are skeletons and bones of the mammals of the order Edentata, 
mostly from South America, including some fine specimens of 
the great Ground Sloths, the largest of which, the Megatlierium, is 
shown in the act of rearing itself on its hind legs and powerful 
tail to seize and tear down the branches of a tree in order to 
feed upon the leaves. That this was the habit of this huge 
animal is clearly indicated by the structure of the bones and 
teeth. The mounted specimen is not an actual skeleton, but is 
composed of plaster casts of the real bones, most of which are 
in the wall-case at the north side of the room. Of the Mylodon, 
