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when any which he likes comes underneath, he drops 

 down upon them. Hares and rabbits seldom escape 

 him ; but he chooses rather a goat, or any crea- 

 ture of that size. When one of these comes under 

 the tree, he creeps from bough to bough, till he comes 

 just over it, and then drops down upon it. He al- 

 ways contrives to fasten on the neck. In an instant 

 he fixes both his teeth and claws, and lies across the 

 neck, near the shoulders. Here he is secure; and while 

 the poor creature runs with all its speed, he is feed- 

 ing on its tiesh. At length it drops, and he conti- 

 nues eating in the same ravenous manner, till from a 

 mere skeleton, his back becomes round, and his sides 

 swelled out like a ton. Still he continues to eat, till 

 he can eat no longer. He too drops down, and lies 

 panting for breath. He resembles a dead carcase, 

 swelled and ready to burst with lying in the sun : 

 and being unable to move for a long time, is fre- 

 quently destroyed, and sometimes perishes without an 

 enemy. 



The God of nature seems to have formed the Sloth, 

 to represent to us in a strong light, that odious and 

 despicable vice, from which it takes its name. Its 

 body is short, its head small, and it has scarce any 

 tail. Its fur is long, thick, and of a greyish green, 

 so that when seen on the bough of a tree, it appears 

 only like an excrescence or a cluster of moss. It is 

 about the size of a cat, but the legs are short, as is 

 the neck : and its long and thick covering, renders it 

 so shapeless, that it seems only an irregular lump of 

 Unrig matter. Its little and remarkably ugly head 

 stands close between the shoulders. The face has 

 much of the monkey aspect. Its small and heavy 

 eyes, are always half shut, and it has no appearance 

 at all of any cars. Its feet are flat and very narrow, 

 but armed with sharp claws, for laying hold on the 

 bark of a tree, by striking deep into it. 



He rarely changes his place ; and never, but when 

 compelled by absolute necessity. As upon the ground 



