880 Wlarvels of the Universe 
have soft skins and oval bodies, with the feet frequently terminating in adhesive vesicles. Looked 
at with the naked eye a number of these minute creatures have only the appearance of a little brown 
dust in the mould of a cheese, but when examined under a microscope they can be seen scrambling 
about on stout legs which terminate below the “foot pads” in sharp hooks. From the body 
radiate a number of long bristles, while the rostrum, or beak, is provided with two pairs of 
very serviceable pincers. A dry cheese and one which has a rind broken into crevices and 
cracks is most likely to be attacked by the mite, and as a fully-ripe Stilton possesses these 
qualities in a high degree, it 
is seldom to be found without 
a numerous company of mite 
devotees. 
Wels GALS TOIXOIN| 
BY REV. H. N. HUTCHINSON, 
TIRES, BCS, BAS 
THE continent of North Ame- 
rica has yielded many remains 
of extinct animals and greatly 
added to our knowledge of the 
past development of life on the 
earth. To the paleontologist 
these discoveries of the last 
sixty years or more have, as it 
were, opened out a new world. 
Countless new mammals, new 
reptiles and new birds have 
been dug out from American 
strata by Leidy, Marsh, Cope, 
Hatcher, Osborne and others, 
py and the results of all their 
y | labours have been of the 
1 are highest value to students of 
Evolution. But South America 
has also contributed its share. 
For example, the Megatherium, 
that great extinct sloth, 
ied A CHEESE-MITE. [4-2 Smil- already described in this book, 
Looked at with the naked eye a number of Cheese-mites appear only as a little came from the Pampas region 
brown dust in the mould of a cheese, but seen under a microscope each Mite becomes 
Tic raaitivelediine acctis, with a alt orl eds ood Getdied ath Ease, Of SON aimenica, doar Srainge 
shown in this photograph, region of which Mr. W. H. 
Hudson has given such a wonderful account in his famous book, “ The Naturalist in La Plata.” 
The Glyptodon, of which we give a restoration by Mr. J. Smit, the well-known animal artist, 
received its name from Sir Richard Owen, in reference to the sculptured aspect of the grinding 
surface of its teeth. To the eye it resembles more or less an armadillo. The picture shows a 
wonderful and highly ornamental cuirass, or large plate of armour, covering the whole body, but 
allowing the head to show in front, while the legs come out beneath. Both head and tail were 
also protected with armour. This creature, possessing no movable bands, as living armadillos 
have, could not have rolled itself up into a ball; and we may also infer from its thick, short toes 
