CARTAGO TO RUIZ AND SANTA ISABEL 53 



then feed them to the little creature one at a time and in 



quick succession. I have kept a number of sloths at various 

 times and found that the}- thrived on young shoots and 

 buds of many trees and plants, such as cacao, cabbage, 

 lettuce, and almost any succulent vegetation. 



I know of no animal that appears more stupid and lifeless 

 than a sloth. They move with great difficulty and in a 

 sprawling posture on the rare occasions when they descend 

 to the ground, on account of the peculiar formation of the 

 feet; nor do they attain any great speed while moving in 

 the tree-tops, where they always maintain an inverted posi- 

 tion except when climbing up or down a trunk. When 

 resting they roll up into a ball, and as a species of green 

 alga not infrequently grows on the fur, they are very in- 

 conspicuous among the leaves and moss-covered branches 

 of their home — at least when viewed from below. But 

 from above they do not always escape the shaip eye of the 

 harpy-cagle, which is their chief enemy. 



In spite of its lifeless appearance, it would be difficult to 

 find a mammal more tenacious of life; in this respect it 

 resembles the reptiles. Sloths will withstand the most 

 frightful wounds and frequently make their escape after 

 having been shot many times. The natives are very fond 

 of the flesh and not infrequently capture the animals when 

 cutting down trees in clearing land; a favorite way to kill 

 them is by drowning, but this is a lengthy and barbarous 

 process, as it requires a long submergence before the crea- 

 tures cease struggling and life is extinct. 



People of the lower class attribute peculiar powers to 

 the sloth. They say that when one of the animals finds it 

 necessary to descend to the ground it is unable to climb 

 back to its lofty perch; but a friendly cloud is always hov- 

 ering near by which envelops it and carries it back to any 

 desired station in the tree-tops. In some localities they 

 also attribute the wild call of the giant goatsucker to the 

 sloth. The only time I heard the latter utter any sound 

 was when a mother called to her young that was a few feet 



