CHAP, VII.] 
MAMMALIA OF THE NEW WOULD. 
145 
extinct species. Cercolabes, the * tree porcupine ’ (Cercolabidee) 
lias two species, one as large as a peccary; Myopotamus, Touch eves, 
Carterodon , are existing genera of spiny rats (Echimyidre) ; 
and there are two extinct genera of the same family, LoncJio- 
phorus and Phyllomys. Lagostomus (Chinch illidte), the visca- 
cha of the Pampas, is represented by an extinct species. 
There is also an extinct species of Lepus; several species of 
Hesperomys and Oxymycterus ; and a large Arvicola, a genus not 
living in South America. 
Edentata . — These, which constitute the great feature of the 
existing South American fauna, were still more abundant and 
varied in the Cave period, and it is remarkable that most of 
them are extinct genera. The armadillos are alone represented 
by living forms, Dasypus, and Xenurus ; Eurydon and Hetero- 
don, are extinct genera of the same family, as well as Chlamydo- 
therium — huge armadillos the size of a tapir or rhinoceros, and 
Pachjtherium , which was nearly as large. The ant-eaters are 
represented only by Glossotherium, an extinct form allied to 
Myrmeeophaga and Manis. The sloths were more numerous, 
being represented by the extinct genera Ccelodon , Sphenodon 
and Ochothei'ium , the last of large size. The huge terrestrial 
sloths — Megatheridse, also abounded ; there being species of 
Megatherium, and Megalonyx, as well as the allied Scdidotherium, 
supposed to have some affinity for the African Orycteropus. 
Marsupials. — No new forms of these appear, but numerous 
species of Hidelphys , all closely allied to opossums still living 
in South America. 
The preceding sketch of the wonderful cave fauna of Central 
Brazil, is sufficient to show that it represents, in the main, a 
period of great antiquity. Not only are almost the whole of 
the species extinct, but there are twenty extinct genera, and three 
others not now inhabitants of South America. The fact that so 
few remains of the living animals of the country are found in 
these caves, indicates that some change of physical conditions 
has occurred since they were the receptacles of so many of the 
larger animals; and the presence of many extinct genera of 
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