'megatherium -americanum. 91 
•-sacrum is short; the ossa ilia very broad ; and 
their plane being almost perpendicular to the 
spine, they form a very open pelvis. There is no 
pubis or ischium, at least they are wanting in this 
skeleton, and there is ..no mark of their having 
existed when the animal was alive. 
“ The thigh bones are excessively thick, and 
the leg bones still more so, in proportion. The 
entire sole of the foot bore on the ground in 
walking. The shoulder-blade is much broader 
than long. The clavicles are perfect ; and the 
two bones of the fore arm are distinct and move- 
able upon each other. The fore limbs are longer 
than the hind. To judge by the form of the last 
phalanxes, there must have been very large pointed 
claws on the fore feet, and a single one on the 
hind. The other toes seem to have been deprived 
of them, and, perhaps, entirely concealed beneath 
the skin. 
<rf The head is the greatest singularity of this 
skeleton. The occiput is elongated and flattened, 
but it is pretty convex above the eyes. The two 
jaws form a considerable projection, but without 
teeth, there being only four on each side, above 
and below, all grinders, with a flat crown, and 
grooved across. The breadth of the branches of 
the lower jaw, and the great apophysis placed on 
the base of the zygomatic arch, deserve particu- 
lar notice. 
f<r This quadruped, in its characters taken to- 
gether, differs from all known animals ; and each 
of its bones, considered apart, also differs from the 
corresponding bones of all known animals. This 
results from a detailed comparison of the skeleton 
Vvith that of other animals, and will readily appear 
to those who are conversant in such researches, 
for none of the animals which approach it in bulk a 
