Order II. Edentata. Edentates. 



The Order EDENTATA contains certain mammals of an inferior 

 organization, and with various forms of body covering beside that 

 of hair. The designation, Toothless, is not altogether correct as 

 applied to the various species, for, while some, like the Anteaters and 

 Pangolins, are destitute of teeth, others, as the Sloths, Armadillos, 

 etc., are provided with them, although the incisors are wanting in 

 all. The Sloths, so-called on account of their slow movement, have 

 a thick covering of coarse, bristly hair, and the fingers and toes of 

 the different species are armed with long prehensile claws, by means 

 of which the animals maintain their position suspended from the 

 limbs of trees. While the color of the Sloth's coat is generally some 

 shade of gray, it is not infrequently tinged with green caused by a 

 growth upon the hair of an algous plant whose vitality is stimulated 

 by the dampness of the forest in which the animals dwell, and is a 

 means of harmonizing them with the leaves and so affording conceal- 

 ment from all enemies, as creatures without recognizable form, 

 suspended amid the branches. Although very helpless when upon 

 the ground, Sloths make an attempt to defend themselves by trying 

 to seize and strangle their enemies, and sometimes they succeed in 

 doing this, or inflict serious wounds with their sharp, hook-like claws. 

 Their food is composed of leaves, buds, and young shoots of various 

 trees, some species exhibiting a desire for certain kinds only. Among 

 the branches the Sloths frequently move with considerable rapidity, 

 but on the ground their progress is slow and performed with difficulty. 

 These animals rarely emit any sound, but on provocation will make 

 a curious grunting noise, or at other times disturb the stillness of the 

 forest by a long-drawn, shrill, wail-like cry, expressive of the loneli- 

 ness of their monotonous life. 



Fam. I. llra<l.v|HMli<l;r. Sloths. 



Head rounded; neck short; fore limbs very long, exceeding hind 

 limbs in length; tail short or absent; hand with two or three claws, 

 feet always with three claws; teeth subcylindrical ; ears inconspic- 

 uous ; body clothed with long crisp hair. 



6. Cholocpus. 



Teeth, ^ = 18. 



4 4 



Choloepus Illiger, Prodr. Syst. Mamm. et Av., 1811, p. 108. Type 

 Brady pus didactyhis Linnaeus. 



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