CHAP. XVII.] 
MAMMALIA 
247 
Family 75.— MYEMECOPHAGID.E. (3 Genera, 5 Species.) 
General Distribution. 
Neotropical 
N EARCTIC 
Paljearctic 
Ethiopian 
Oriental I 
Australian 
Sub-regions. 
Sub-regions. 
Sub— regions. 
Sub-regions. 
Sub- regions. 
, Sub-regions. 
1 . 2 . 3 - 
The true ant-eaters are strictly confined to the wooded portions 
of the Neotropical region, ranging from Honduras to Paraguay on 
the East side of the Andes. The three genera now generally 
admitted are : Myrmecophaga (1 sp.), the great ant-eater, 
Northern Brazil to Paraguay; Tamandua (2 sp.), 4-toed ant- 
eaters, Guatemala, Ecuador to Paraguay (Plate XIY. vol. ii. p. 
24) ; Cyclothurus (2 sp.), 2-toed ant-eaters, Honduras and Costa 
Eica to Brazil. 
Extinct Ant-eaters. — The only extinct form of this family 
seems to he the Glossotherium, found in the caves of Brazil, and 
the Tertiary deposits of Uruguay. It is said to he allied to 
Myrmecophaga and Manis. 
General EemarJcs on the Distribution of the Edentata. 
These singular animals are almost confined to South America, 
where they constitute an important part of the fauna. In 
Africa, two family types are scantily represented, and one of 
these extends over all the Oriental region. In Pliocene and Post- 
Pliocene times the Edentata were wonderfully developed in South 
America, many of them being huge animals, rivalling in hulk, 
the rhinoceros and hippopotamus. As none of these forms 
resemble those of Africa, while the only European fossil Edentata 
are of African type, it seems probable that South Africa, like 
South America, was a centre of development for this group of 
mammalia ; and it is in the highest degree probable that, should 
extensive fluviatile deposits of Pliocene or Miocene age be dis- 
covered in the former country, an extinct fauna, not less strange 
and grotesque than that of Soutli America, will be brought to 
