THE COMMON SLOTH. 



169 



sloth, indeed, are endowed with the most astonishing 

 energy ; their force is, indeed, almost incredible, and 

 harmonizes with the arboreal design of the skeleton, of 

 which the limbs alone sufficiently indicate the creature's 

 habits. Who can mistake the meaning of the solid 

 hook-like structure of the paws, or the design of the long 

 arms, or of the security of the union of the clavicle 

 to the large scapula? We might here enter into 

 minute details, but we refrain, only observing that Na- 

 ture in these points aimed at rigid unyielding strength, 

 and has obtained the result she wished ; the long arms 

 of the sloth being thus furnished with strong hooks, 

 which are drawn to the palm (and the same observation 

 applies to the claws of the hind-feet) by means of elastic 



104.— Sloth. 



