Page:The Zoologist, 1st series, vol 1 (1843).djvu/314

286 larger frequently descend, and pass a considerable portion of their lives on the ground. So, also, in the ant-bears, the smallest species of all lives entirely in trees; those of middle size feed principally on the ground, but also ascend trees; while the very largest have the ground assigned them for their perpetual abode. It therefore very reasonably excites our astonishment, to find that in a former period of creation, such enormous monsters should have had trees allotted them for their habitat."—Id. 1. c. p. 210.

But it is time that we turn to Professor Owen's dissertation, which is certainly the most complete analysis of a fossil skeleton that it has ever been our good fortune to peruse. First, we have the history of the fossil.

We have next the history of similar remains as far as hitherto recorded, together with a sketch of the views of the respective authors, in the course of which the conclusions of Dr. Lund are given, but pronounced to be somewhat startling. Then we are presented with a concise description of the skeleton, in the following words.

"The singularly massive proportions of the skeleton of the Mylodon robustus arrest the attention of every observer, and are not less calculated to excite the surprise of the professed comparative anatomist.

"A trunk, shorter than that of the Hippopotamus, is terminated behind by a pelvis, equalling in breadth and exceeding in depth that of the Elephant. This capacious bony basin rests on two massive but short hind extremities, terminated by feet as long as the femora, set at right angles to the leg, as in the plantigrade animals, but with the sole slightly turned inwards.

"A tail equalling the hind limbs in length, and proportionally as thick and strong, assists in supporting, rather than depends from, the broad sacral termination of the pelvis.