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Show 1882.J MR. W. A. FORBES ON THE GREAT ANTEATER. 287 1. On some Points in the Anatomy of the Great Anteater (Myrmecophaga jubata). By W . A. FORBES, B.A., Prosector to the Society. [Received February 28, 1882.] (Plate XV.) The literature relating to the anatomical structure of the Edentata, though very considerable, is unfortunately much scattered, and with many blanks as regards special points. The genus Myrmecophaga may be considered-thanks chiefly to the labours of Owen1 and Pou-chet2, who have elaborately described many parts of its organization- to be the best known, as regards anatomical structure, of all the existing Anteaters. Two adult female specimens of this animal having lately 3 passed through m)r hands in m y prosectorial capacity, I have had the opportunity of confirming a large part of the already published accounts of its anatomy, as well as of correcting, or adding, certain details, which I now lay before the Society. 1. Alimentarg Canal and Appendages.-The palate (fig. 1, p. 288) is not absolutely smooth, but presents anteriorly a series of irregular transverse ridges notched along their margin, best developed and nearly meeting mesially anteriorly, posteriorly becoming much more oblique backwards and less regular, the ridges not being opposite each other but more or less alternating. In all there are about seven of these ridges. The floor of the mouth to about 2 inches beyond the most posterior opening of the submaxillary glands, the gums over the tip of the lower jaw, and the lateral callous pads which are present as in Ta-mandua, are all covered with minute, retroverted, closely-set papillae. 1 " On the Anatomy of the Great Anteater," Part I., Trans. Zool. S oc. iv. pp. 117-140, pis. xxxvii.-xl.; Part II., I.e. pp. 179-181, pis.li.-liii. 2 Memoires sur le Grand Fourmilier: Paris, 1874. In addition to these, tbere are brief references to Myrmecophaga jubata in Rapp's 'Edentaten' (2e Aufl., Tubingen, 1852), and Prof. Flower's Hunterian Lectures (Med. Times and Gazette, Nov. 30, 1872, p. 591). The submaxillary glands have been described by Gervais (C. R. lxix. pp. 1110, 1111 [1869]); and the brain by the same author (" Memoire sur les formes cerebrales propres aux Edentes vivants et fossiles," Nouv. Arch. Mus. v. pp. 1-56, pis. i.-v.), and by G. Pouchet ("Memoire sur l'encephale des Edentes," Robin's Journal de l'Anatomie, 1868, pp. 658-675, and 1869, pp. 1-18, &c). 3 The first of these, from Buenos Ayres (spec, cl of the List of Vertebrates), was presented to the Society by the Hon. L. S. Sackville West (now H. B. M's. Minister at Washington) on Sept. 7, 1877. It died Nov. 29, 1881, from severe inflammation of the connective tissues lying in and around the submaxillary glands. The second (specimen a) was presented so long ago as October 4, 186/, by Dr. J. A. Palin, C.M.Z.S., and, after living for more than 14 years in the Society's Gardens, died on the 5th of February of the present year. The only disease detected in it, on post mortem examination, was a considerable enlargement of the thymus gland, and acute inflammation of the laryngeal mucous membrane. This second specimen, though an aged animal, was by no means so large as the first, having a total length of 6 ft. l£in. (from the tip of the nose to the end of the tail, which was 2 ft. 4 in. long), as against 7 ft. 5^ in. in the other. PROC. ZOOL. Soc-1882, No. XX. 20 |