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It is well known that during Darwin's voyage in the Beagle he was deeply impressed by discovering extinct armadillo-like fossil forms in South America, the home of armadilloes, and by observing the relationship of the plants and animals of each island in the Galapagos group to those of the other islands and of South America, the nearest continent.
"This is an insult, Thomas. Shall we sit down under it?" "Yes," said Thomas, getting up; "only in another part of the boat." "We might have sailed up a little higher," remarked Simpson. "It's all right, I'm not a bit wet, thanks." "It's too shallow, except at high tide," said Myra. "The Armadillo would have gone aground and lost all her her shell. Do armadilloes have shells, or what?" "Feathers."
Recent Extinction. Longevity of Species. Large Animals do not require a luxuriant Vegetation. Southern Africa. Siberian Fossils. Two Species of Ostrich. Habits of Oven-bird. Armadilloes. Venomous Snake, Toad, Lizard. Hybernation of Animals. Habits of Sea-Pen. Indian Wars and Massacres. Arrowhead, antiquarian Relic.
If you turn to South America, where, at the present day, we have great sloths and armadilloes and creatures of that kind, what do you find in the newest tertiaries? You find the great sloth-like creature, the 'Megatherium', and the great armadillo, the 'Glyptodon', and so on.
The other African ant-eaters are usually called Pangolins, or Manis. These are covered with scales that resemble suits of ancient armour; and on this account they have sometimes been confounded with the armadilloes, though the two kinds of creatures are altogether different in their habits.
If you turn to South America, where, at the present day, we have great sloths and armadilloes and creatures of that kind, what do you find in the newest tertiaries? You find the great sloth-like creature, the Megatherium, and the great armadillo, the Glyptodon, and so on.
They had nothing to eat excepting what they could catch, such as ostriches, deer, armadilloes, etc., and their only fuel was the dry stalks of a small plant, somewhat resembling an aloe. The sole luxury which these men enjoyed was smoking the little paper cigars, and sucking mate.
It must have been as large as a rhinoceros: in the structure of its head it comes, according to Mr. Owen, nearest to the Cape Ant-eater, but in some other respects it approaches to the armadilloes. Fourthly, the Mylodon Darwinii, a closely related genus of little inferior size. Fifthly, another gigantic edental quadruped.
Together we dragged the two carcasses close to the camp, thinking that the doctor would wait till the morning to cut them up; but, in his eagerness, he insisted on commencing operations at once. "I want their skins," he said; "and if we don't secure them, the armadilloes, the ants, and the vultures will have made a feast off them before we awake, if a jaguar has not torn them to pieces."
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