. The animal kingdom, arranged after its organization, forming a natural history of animals, and an introduction to comparative anatomy. Zoology. 124 MAMMALIA. There have been discovered in Americarthe fossil skeletons of two animals belonging to the order Edentata [and lately another not yet named], of enormous dimensions : the first of them, the Mega- therium, has a head very similar to that of a Sloth, but without canines, and approximating in the rest of its skeleton partly to the Sloths, and partly to the Ant-eaters, [most of all, however, to the minute Chlamyphorus, having even been cove
. The animal kingdom, arranged after its organization, forming a natural history of animals, and an introduction to comparative anatomy. Zoology. 124 MAMMALIA. There have been discovered in Americarthe fossil skeletons of two animals belonging to the order Edentata [and lately another not yet named], of enormous dimensions : the first of them, the Mega- therium, has a head very similar to that of a Sloth, but without canines, and approximating in the rest of its skeleton partly to the Sloths, and partly to the Ant-eaters, [most of all, however, to the minute Chlamyphorus, having even been covered by a similar massive buckler]. It is twelve feet long, and six or seven high. The other, the Megalonyx, is rather less : its toes are the only parts that are well known, and they strongly resemble those of the other. The second tribe, comprehending The Ordinary Edentata,— Have the muzzle pointed. They have still molar teeth, and are divisible into two genera. The Armadillos (Dasypus, Lin.)— Are very remarkable among the Mammalia, for the scaly and hard [bony] shell, composed of pave- ment-like compartments, which covers their head and body, and often the tail. This substance forms a shield upon their forehead, another larger and more convex on the shoulders, a third on the crupper similar to the preceding, and between the two latter several parallel and moveable bands, which allow the body to bend. The tail is sometimes furnished with successive rings; and at others, with varied tubercles, like the legs. These animals have [generally] large ears, and also great claws, either five or four anteriorly, and always five to their hind-feet; a some- what pointed muzzle; cylindrical grinding teeth separated from each other, to the num- ber of seven or eight on each side of both jaws, and without enamel on the inside; a soft tongue, but little extensible; and there are a few scattered hairs between their scales, or on those parts of the body not covered by the shell. They excava
Size: 2057px × 1215px
Photo credit: © Library Book Collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, booksubjectzoology, bookyear1854
