AT HOME IN THE WOODS. 227 



hobble to-day, tliou sbalt not suffer for it. I'll take no advantage 

 of thee in misfortune. The forest is large enough both for me 

 and thee to rove in. Go thy way up above^ and enjoy thyself in 

 these endless wilds ; it is more than probable thou wilt never 

 have, another interview with man. So fare thee well.' On 

 saying this I took a long stick which was lying there, held it for 

 him to hook on, and then conveyed him to a high and stately 

 mora-tree. He ascended with wonderful rapidity, and in about 

 a minute was almost at the top of the trees. He now went off 

 in a side direction, and caught hold of the branches of another 

 tree, .proceeding in this manner towards the heart of the forest. 

 I stood looking on, lost in amazement at this singular mode of 

 progress. I followed him with my eyes till the intervening 

 branches closed in between us, and then lost sight for ever of the 

 Two-toed Sloth." The Indians, it seems, have a saying, that 

 when the wind blows the Sloth begins to travel ; the interlacing 

 of the branches at such times no doubt making it much easier 

 and safer to proceed from one tree to another. 



Extraordinary as are the structure and habits of the Sloth, it 

 has never been made much of here in -the Gardens, and by the 

 majority of the visitors is passed by as a thing of ordinary every- 

 day experience. Not so was it, however, with his kinsman and 

 near neighbour the Great Anteater, which was exhibited in the 

 same building a few years since, anel which, as a bygone celebrity 

 of the Gardens, merits a passing notice here. 



Being the first animal of the kind which had ever been brought 

 to Europe alive, the Great Anteater naturally attracted much 

 attention, and for a considerable time the anxiety to see it was 

 something bordering on the ludicrous. It was not the easiest 

 thing in the world, however, to get a sight of him, even when 

 you had gone to the Gardens for the purpose. Like all strictly 

 nocturnal animals, it spent the greater part of the day in sleep, a 

 circumstance which the young lady visitors especially pronounced 

 a " shame." It certainly was very provoking, and it is to bo 

 hoped that in the event of another Anteater paying us a visit ho 

 will be taught to comport himself in a more befitting manner. 

 As it was you were pretty sure to find the animal asleep, coiled 

 up upon its bed of straw in a corner of the cage, with a room full 

 of excited visitors waiting its awaking. Everybody put <imit 

 faith, of course, in the label on the front of the cage, and had no 



