90 MEGATHERIUM AMERICANUM, 
however, when examined as aboye, was a sort of 
short abrupt roar., which it uttered when much 
disturbed or irritated . It was a gentle and good- 
natured animal ; it fed chiefly on vegetable sub- 
stances and milk ; was fond of apples., and did 
not willingly eat animal food, except of a very 
tender nature, as marrow, which it readily suc- 
ked from a bone presented to it. It was 
also delighted with honey, sugar, and other sweets. 
Its motions were not, as in the two former species, 
slow and languid, but moderately lively ; and 
it appeared to have a habit of turning itself 
round and round every now and then as if for 
amusement, in the manner of a dog when lying 
down to sleep. It was said to have a propensity 
to burrow under the ground ; and it was added 
that it had been dug out of its subterraneous 
retreat by those who first discovered it. 
MEGATHERIUM AMERICANUM. 
This is one of those animals which are supposed 
to be extinct, as no living individuals have yet 
been found belonging to this species. Its skeleton: 
was discovered some years since, and is thus 
described by M. Cuvier: 
“'This skeleton is fossil. It was found a hun- 
dred feet beneath the surface of a sandy soil, in 
the vicinity of the river of La Plata. It only 
wants the tail, and some pair bones, which have 
been imitated in w T ood, and the skeleton is now 
mounted at Madrid. 
"This skeleton is twelve feet (french) long, 
by six feet in height. The spine is composed of 
several cervical, sixteen dorsal, and four lumbar 
Vertebra : it has consequently sixteen ribs ; the os 
