The Sloth. 



107 



VI. Edentata, or Toothless Animals. 



THE SLOTH. (Bradypus tridadylus.) 



THIS animal, which is sometimes also called the Ai, in 

 reference to a noise it makes when caught, and fre- 

 quently when moving through the forest, is most cu- 

 riously formed. The arms or fore legs are nearly twice 

 as long as the hind legs : the claws also are larger than 

 the foot, and bent inwardly, so as to prevent the animal 

 from placing the ball of its foot on the ground. From 

 these peculiarities in its construction the progress of the 

 Sloth on land is extremely slow and laborious, for being 

 incapable of supporting himself on his feet, he is com- 

 pelled to take advantage of every little inequality in the 

 round to drag himself along ; but he is not intended to 

 3 a terrestrial animal. He lives in trees, always hang- 

 ing below the branch, with its back to the ground; and 

 for a life of this kind, its long arms and hooked claws 

 are admirably adapted. Mr. Waterton, whose long 

 residence in the wilds of South America, and whose 

 habits of close observation, render him an excellent 

 authority, observes, that when the Sloth travels from 

 branch to branch of the tree which it inhabits, particu- 



