26 Prof. BuckraND on the Adaptation of the Structure 
The tame Sloths never willingly remained on the ground, except to pass 
from one tree to another: all the movements of the animal are slow; it moves 
its claws or pincers slowly; in eating it chews slowly; it also climbs slowly ; 
the moisture of the leaves it eats suffices it for drink, without descending to 
obtain water. None of those kept by Mr. Burchell were ever seen to drink. 
The full-grown animals were never heard to utter any sound, but the young 
one occasionally (though rarely) gave a short cry or whistling squeak of a 
single note. : 
They showed no indication of fear, and seemed to give attention only with 
their eyes; they took no notice of the boy that carried them often across the 
garden to their place in the verandah, with their long arms sprawling; the 
only objects of their regard were trees; they fight on their backs, and grapple 
their enemy to strangulation. The use of the long wool that covers the 
body, and even the face, seems to be to guard them from the annoyance of 
insects. | | 
The following descriptions in Piso and Marcgraf's Natural History of Brazil, - 
p. 221, are evidently the result of personal observation on the habits of the 
Sloth, and confirm in every respect the views we have been taking of the 
structure and habits of this animal. 
“ Animal est ignavissimum et ad incessum plane ineptum, in arboribus len- 
tissime rependo progreditur, ibi habitat, foliis arborum vescens ; nunquam bibit, 
apprehendit, tenere potest. Quando scandit, caput elevatum lentissime movendo 
gestat. Pluviam etiam levem admodum metuit."—* Animal sine dubio vivax. 
Intestinis omnibus exemptis adhuc se movebat, et pedes contrahebat ut vivum 
solet quando pendens ad somnum se componit. A junctura pedis cum tibia tres 
nervi solidissimi, ad quemlibet unguem unus intensus tendit, quibus ungues 
incurvare et validissime se sustentare potest *." 
Does it not follow from the above comparisons of the habits of the Sloth with 
its form and structure, that so far from being in any respect an imperfectly 
constructed animal, it is fitted with admirable perfection of mechanism to its 
unusual habits and peculiar condition of life? It is true, that if rapid loco- 
motion be an essential attribute of a quadruped, the Sloth will labour under 
* Pis. et Marcgr. Hist. Nat. Bras. p. 921. 
