422 TOOTHLESS ANIMALS 



rarely swims, and never digs. Of all the animals of creation, 

 the Sloths only hang. They live wholly in trees, not upon 

 the branches, but under them. In Waterton's own words, 

 'the Sloth moves suspended from a branch, he rests sus- 

 pended from it, and he sleeps suspended from it.' 



Quite naturally one would infer that to lead such a life 

 the Sloths must possess very uncommon muscular powers. 

 A glance at the accompanying illustration will show that 

 strength does not of necessity enter into the question. The 

 claws are of enormous dimensions, converting the feet into 

 perfect hooks. ' When therefore the Sloth has hitched the 

 claws over a branch, no further exertion is required, the 

 suspension being purely mechanical/ 



On the ground the Sloth does not belie its name, for the 

 longer fore-arms and the huge incurved claws are ill- 

 adapted for walking. It can only make slow and painful 

 progression by digging the claws into any little depression 

 in the ground to assist in pulling itself along. Early 

 naturalists considered that life must be a burden to the 

 strange creature. But among the trees the Sloth is in its 

 element ; it may be the worst walker among mammals, but 

 it is certainly one of the best climbers. 



THREE-TOED SLOTH (Brddypus tridactylus). 

 Coloured Plate XXXI. Fig. 2. 



Of the several species of Sloths the best-known is the 

 Three-Toed Sloth, or Ai, the latter name being derived 

 from the low plaintive cry of the animal, which somewhat 

 resembles that syllable. It is a native of Brazil. It is but 

 two feet in length, but its shaggy coat gives it the appear- 

 ance of a much larger animal. The fur is coarse, mainly 

 brownish grey in colour, except between the shoulders of 

 the male, where is a narrow oval patch of black hair 

 fringed with yellow. This patch is exactly like the scorched 

 effect which the application of a hot iron would produce, 

 and at first sight it is difficult to believe that it is not of 

 artificial origin. 



Owing to a vegetable alga which grows on the hairs, the 



