42 
2S0RTH GALLERY. 
[upper 
ROOM VI. 
Room VI. is occupied chiefly by the osseous remains of the Edentata 
(quadrupeds without front teeth), and large Pachydermata (thick- 
skinned herbivorous quadrupeds), such as the Elephants and Masto- 
dons. Of the Edentate order of quadrupeds, the most striking example 
is presented by the skeleton of the Megatherium. The remains of 
this animal have been met v^^ith in the southern parts of South America 
and more especially in the region of Buenos Ayres. A slight acquaint- 
ance with the bony framework of animals may enable the visitor to 
appreciate the enormous muscular power which this animal must have 
possessed ; the huge Mastodon near it must have been a comparatively 
feeble animal. The strength of the Megatherium is indicated by the 
form of the bones, and especially their tubercles and ridges, to which 
the muscles were attached. In the fore parts of the body the frame- 
work is comparatively slender; the contrary is the case with the hind 
quarters, where enormous strength and weight are combined, indicating 
that the animal habitually rested on its haunches and powerful tail, 
and whilst in that position could freely use its flexible arms, and the 
large claws with which its fore-feet were provided. 
The affinity of this animal to the existing Sloth is evident, from 
the structure of the skull, blade-bone, &c. ; the teeth are the same 
in number, kind, structure, mode of growth, and mode of implanta- 
tion, as in the Sloth, whence the similarity of food may be inferred ; 
but the different proportions and colossal bulk of the Megatherium 
indicate that instead of climbing trees, like the Sloth, it uprooted and 
tore them down, to feed upon the leaves and succulent branches. 
This skeleton is composed, in part, of casts of bones, in the Museum 
of the Royal College of Surgeons, brought from Buenos Ayres by Sir 
Woodbine Parish, and, in part, of casts of bones of the same species 
and size in the British Museum. In the Wall Case No. 4, between 
the windows, is deposited an extensive series of the bones of different 
individuals of the Megatherium, all of which are from the region of 
Buenos Ayres. In Case No. 3 are deposited the bones of allied 
animals, Scelidotherium, Mylodon, &c., also from South America. On 
the stand with the Megatherium is placed a portion of a carapace or 
shell of a species of Glyptodon, an extinct genus nearly allied to the 
Armadillos, and of which several species have been discovered in 
South America. In some of these species the carapace must have been 
from ten to twelve feet in length : in all, as in the smaller species 
here exhibited, it was devoid of those "bands" or "joints" which 
give it flexibility in the small existing Armadillos. In the Wall 
Case, at the end of tlK room, may be seen the tail, with the bony 
sheath, of two of the largest kinds of Glyptodon. In the centre of 
tlie Room has been placed the cast of an entire carapace, with the 
singularly-armed tail sheath of this animal; and on the tops of the 
Wall Cases are considerable portions of the carapaces of species of 
Glyplodon. 
The Elephant remains exhibited in the Wall Cases opposite 
