175 



THE SLOTH. 



Of this singular animal there are two species, one 

 called the Unan, having two claws upon each foot, 

 and no tail ; and the other named the Ai, with a tail 

 and three claws. Some quadrupeds may be indolent 

 from choice ; but these are so from necessity, for Na- 

 ture has constructed them with such apparent inutility, 

 they never move without symptoms of violent pain : 

 yet the sloth may possess many stores of comfort, which 

 to us short-sighted mortals are quite unknown ; and 

 that piteous cry which it sends forth when in motion, 



may be the result of habit, not of pain. 

 . . ... 



The sloth, in size, bears some similitude to the bad- 

 ger; the fur is extremely coarse and straggling, and in 

 appearance resembles dried grass ; the tail is so short 

 as scarcely to be perceptible ; and the mouth extends 

 from ear to ear : the eye is dull, stupid, and vacant ; 

 and the feet and claws are longer than the legs, which 

 are placed upon the body in such an extraordinary di- 

 rection, that a few paces is often the journey of a 

 week. When the animal is compelled to make a mo- 

 tion, it seems to do it with the utmost difficulty and 

 pain, and never changes its place and station but 

 when forced to seek a fresh supply of food. 



Of all the animals that chew the cud, the sloth appears 

 the most helpless and forlorn ; it lives entirely upon ve- 

 getable diet, and, when it has devoured the fruit, strips 

 the bark from the trees. To ascend and descend is a 

 task of danger ; and, in the latter, the unfortunate ani- 

 mal is often violently bruised, as the only method by 

 which it can reach the ground is to drop from some of 

 the lower branches of the tree.' As this creature finds 

 so great a difficulty in procuring its food, it is often 



