Observations on the Anatomy of the Sloth. 499 



whether phosphorous or phosphoric, is probably, under such 

 circumstances, itself a beneficial tonic to the system in all such 

 cases as it may be judged proper to employ it. 



These views, if correct, may probably lead to the renewed 

 employment of a remedy, which was at one time enthusiastically 

 extolled, but soon fell into discredit. Its danger, under correct 

 views of its action, can scarcely be dreaded ; and, at all events, 

 it seems proper to establish the real character it ought to main- 

 tain, which can only be effected by accurate and adequate ex- 

 perience. And should these views even be found erroneous, 

 they may possibly lead to others more correct, and which 

 must necessarily subserve the interests of science and of hu- 

 manity. — I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant 



John Redman Coxe. 



OBSERVATIONS ON THE ANATOMY OF THE SLOTH ; 

 (BnADTPus tridactylus, Linn.) by R. Harlan, M. D. 



I HAVE been indebted to the Academy of Natural Sciences of 

 Philadelphia, for the long desired opportunity of making a dis- 

 section of this most curious animal. The specimen was preserved 

 in spirits, and was sent along with many other interesting quad- 

 rupeds, by Dr. Hering, from South America. The specimen is 

 one of the common variety of the Bradypus tridactylus of Lin- 

 neus, and proved to be pregnant with a foetus, nearly matured. 

 For the knowledge which we already possess of the anatomy of 

 this animal, we are principally indebted to the observations of 

 Daubenton and Cuvier ; — my own dissection has resulted in the 

 discovery of several additional facts, as well as the detection of 

 some errors. 



As regards the habits of this animal, in a state of nature, the 

 accounts of travellers are at variance with each other, and the 

 subject still remains obscured in fable. The Sloth has generally 

 been described as one of the most miserable, helpless, and de- 

 jected of beings, the effect of a physical organization altogether 

 extraordinary and imperfect. A recent English traveller, how- 

 ever, Mr. Waterton, who has observed these animals in a state 

 of nature, represents them as sufficiently active in their proper 

 element, on trees, and asserts that they pass from bough to bough, 

 and fioin tree to tree, with a rapidity which soon enables them 



