The length of the Peba, from the snout to the origin of the tail, is about 16 inches, that of the tail 14 inches, and its circumference at its base 6 inches. The head is small, long, and straight; the nose extremely elongated, taper, and terminated by a sort of small muzzle something remilibling the snout of a hog; the mouth is large ; the eyes mall, and placed on the sides of the head; the ears long, and placed close together; the tail long and attenuated; the legs short ; and the feet small. The buckler of the ahoulders extends in front over the whole neck, and towards the rear as far as the back, descending on each side to the elbows. It is composed of mural pieces adhering to one another, and disposed in numerous parallel concentric rings, having the concavity towards the front, the first ring embracing the neck of the animal. The buckler of the croup extends from the back to the origin of the tail, and descends on each aide to the knees. It ia corn potted, AA in the former case, of small pieces arranged in a great number of parallel concentric rings, passing transversely over the hips, but having their concavity turned in the opposite direction from that of the rings on the shoulder, or in such a trimmer that the last embraces the root of the tail. When viewed externally, the little pieces composing these bucklers have the appearance of irregular tuberelea, but when examined on the under side of the buckler they are found to be hexagons almost as regular as those of the cells of bees, and fitted as precisely to one another. Between the buckler% of the shoulders and croup are inter posed a variable number of transverse moveable bands marked with zig-zag lines forming very acute angles, and in some degree gliding over one another according to the different motions of the animal. Out of 14 individuals examined by Azara, there were two with 6 of these moveable bands, one with 7, seven with 8, and four with 9 ; and it was observed that the full-grown ones always bad the greatest number of bands, which renders it extremely probable that new bands are detached from the bucklers as they are required by the increasing growth of the animal. The buckler of the head descends from the cars to the muzzle, and covers each check as far down as the orbits; and there are small detached scales interspersed in various situations over the throat, the under-jaw, the legs, and feet, and even on the outer side of the ears. The tail is extremely long and taper ; it is composed of a great number of osseous rings forming a long tubular case, and connected like the joints of a cane. The Peba, or, as it is commonly called in Brazil, Tatu-Peba, has 32 teeth, S on each aide both of the upper and under jaws. It inhabits Guyana, Brazil, and Paraguay, is a timid nocturnal animal, tolerably swift-footed, and very expert in burrowing. It is never found in the woods, but delights in the open plains and cultivated fields, and is much hunted by the inhabitants on account of the delicacy of its flesh, which, when roasted in the shell, is fat and well tasted; it is said to resemble that of a sucking-pig.
2. 1). hybrid us (Desmarest), the Mule Armadillo, called M`bouriqua, or Mole Tatu, by the Guaranis, in allusion to its bug upright CATS, differs from the last species principally by its smaller size, and the comparative shortness and smallness of its tail. Tho length from the nose to the origin of the tail is stated by Azara to be only 11i inches; the tail itself is 61 inches long, and 3 inches in circumference at the root ; whence it appears that the tail of the present species is only brill the length of the body, whilst in the Tatu-Peba its dimensions are very nearly equal. The legs of the present species are also rather shorter than those of the Peba, the body is broader and less covered with hair on the under surface, and the moveable bands generally fewer in number, and capable of being separated to a greater distance from one another. Their number generally varies from 5 to 7, without
distinction of sex, but it is to be observed that the former number is only found in very young animals ; and altogether the small size and general external resemblance of the two species make it sometimes difficult to distinguish between the adult 1Wbouriqua and the young Peba, especially if great attention be not paid to the comparative length of the body and tail, which forms the only certain criterion. This species inhabits the open uncovered country, like the former, hut extends much farther south, and is common on the pampas of Buenos Ayres.
3. I). Verdadeiro, the Tatu Vcrdadeiro, is a species very similar in size and proportions to the NI rile Armadillo ; but the point of its tail in terminated by a horny case of a single piece ; the moveable bands are broader, and the plates of the croup-buckler are of considerably larger size. We know very little more about this species than the few characters here reported. It inhabits the woods of Brazil, resides in burrows, and is found abroad at all hours during the (lay-time. Koster is the only traveller who mentions this animal, but Baron Cuvier had an opportunity of establishing its specific distinctions by the examination of some specimens brought to France by M. Auguste de St. llilaire.
II. The second subdivision which Baron Cuvier establishes among the Armadillos, and which he calls AparaR, in characterised by having the claws and teeth in all respects similar to those of the preceding, save that the number of the latter amounts to nine or ton on each aide both of the upper and lower jaws ; but the animals of the present group are inunediately distinguishable front all others of the genus by the faculty which they ponsem of completely rolling themselves up like a hedgehog into a round ball, in which situation they may be tumbled about, or even, it is maid, thrown over precipices, without receiving any material injury. There in but a single known species.
4. 1). Apar (Deernarent), and I). irieinatur (Linnaeus), the Nlataco, called also Bolita, or the little ball, from its faculty of mistiming a apherical form, in nearly 15 inches long from the nose to the origin of the tail ; the heal is 3 inches long, and the tail not quite 21 inches. Tho head is oblong and of A pyramidal form ; the muzzle pointed The Matace (1). Apar).
the ears short and nearly round ; and the legs and claws comparatively smaller and weaker than in the other species; the tail also is much shorter, and does not taper so much ; it is flattened at the root, and covered above with a rough granular crust The small pieces which compose the bucklers and moveable bands are themselves of very irregular figures, and disposed in a more confused manner than in other species, bearing no distant resemblance to a number of mall rough fragments of stones thrown at random over the surface. The buckler of the shoulders forms a prominent angle on each side which advances forwards over the cheek ; it is composed of 9 or 10 parallel bands of small plates, of a polygonal figure, except those of the last row, which, like the plates of the moveable bands, form irregular parallelograms. The buckler of the croup is composed of 13 transverse rows of small plates, similar to those of the shoulders, and between the two bucklers are interposed three moveable bands only ; a number by which the Matrico is readily distinguishable from all other arma dillos, though it is probable that it may vary in a small degree, as it is found to do iu other cases. Its usual resource, and only defence when frightened or surprised, is to roll itself up ; for it does not con struct burrows like the Tatu-Peba, nor does it possess sufficient speed to escape by flight It is found in Brazil, Paraguay, and Buenos Ayres, but is nowhere very common.