THE SLOTHS 423 



coat of the Sloth very often assumes a greenish tint, which 

 assists to make it not easily distinguishable from its natural 

 surroundings. It is remorselessly hunted by the natives, 

 who regard its flesh as a great delicacy. Its natural enemies 

 are the serpents, but with its terrible claws it is enabled to 

 show fight to good purpose. The vitality of the sloth in 

 particular is remarkable in its approach to that of the 

 reptiles. It can fast for a period exceeding a month, and 

 appears to be impervious to doses of poison that would 

 speedily prove fatal in the case of at least most mammals. 

 The Sloth suckles its young like ordinary quadrupeds, the 

 young one adhering to the body of the parent until it can 

 take care of itself. The food of the animal is restricted to 



SKELETON OF THE SLOTH. 



leaves, shoots, and fruits, the moisture of which obviates the 

 necessity of drinking. 



In one other particular the anatomy of the Sloth is 

 further modified to suit its peculiar mode of life. Up to 

 this stage in the mammal world it has been the invariable 

 rule that there should be exactly seven bones in the neck. 

 The Sloth possesses nine vertebrae, which enable it to twist 

 its head completely round in either direction while the 

 body remains motionless. 



The Two-Toed Sloth (Cholcepus didactylus) is a larger 

 animal than the preceding species. When rolled up asleep 

 it looks more like a bundle of hay than a living creature. 

 The lack of a toe only refers to the fore feet, and in other 



