178 WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA 



hind-legs are very sliort, and look as if they 

 could be bent almost to the shape of a corkscrew. 

 Both the fore and hind legs, by their form, and 

 by the manner in which they are joined to the 

 body, are quite incapacitated from acting in a 

 perpendicular direction, or in supporting it on 

 the earth, as the bodies of other quadrupeds are 

 supported, by their legs. Hence, when you place 

 him on the floor, his belly touches the ground. 

 Now, granted that he supported himself on his 

 legs like other animals, nevertheless he would be 

 in pain, for he has no soles to his feet, and his 

 claws are very sharp and long, and curved; so 

 that, were his body supported by his feet it would 

 be by their extremities, just as your body would 

 be, were you to throw yourself on all fours, and 

 try to support it on the ends of your toes and 

 fingers — a trying position. Were the floor of 

 glass, or of a polished surface, the sloth would 

 actually be quite stationary ; but as the ground is 

 generally rough, with little protuberances upon 

 it, such as stones, or roots of grass, &c., this just 

 suits the sloth, and he moves his fore-legs in all 

 directions, in order to find something to lay hold 

 of; and when he has succeeded, he pulls himself 

 forward, and is thus enabled to travel onwards, 

 but at the same time in so tardy and awkward a 

 manner, as to acquire him the name of Sloth. 



Indeed his looks and his gestures evidently 

 betray his uncomfortable situation ; and as a sigh 

 every now and then escapes him, we may be en- 

 titled to conclude that he is actually in pain. 



Some years ago I kept a sloth in my room for 

 several months. I often took him out of the house 



