178 TOOTHLESS MAMMALS 



We shot some of our specimens, and others we took alive 

 by cutting down their trees. One tree fell with its top in the 

 river, and the sloth was carried four feet under water. But 

 even the prospect of drowning did not make him hurry to 

 the surface. To my amazement, he climbed up through the 

 branches, slowly and deliberately, until at last, with dignity 

 entirely unruffled, he appeared above the surface, and looked 

 at me with a most disgusted expression on his wooden counte- 

 nance. 



Sloths eat so slowly that before one meal is over it is time 

 for the next, so that their meals overlap one another. 



The Three-Toed Sloth is not found above the Isthmus of 

 Panama, but two other species inhabit Central America as 

 far north as Nicaragua. It is considerably smaller than the 

 next species, having a head-and-body length of 21 inches, 

 while the spread of its outstretched arms, exclusive of the 

 claws, is 323/2 inches. The tail is so very short that it seems 

 to be wanting entirely, but in reality its length is 1J^ inches. 



The Two-Toed Sloth, 1 also called Hoffman's Sloth, 

 ranges northward as far as Costa Rica. It is the largest 

 living member of the Sloth Family, and its appearance is 

 well shown in the accompanying picture of a specimen kept 

 in the Zoological Park. It inhabits the same regions as the 

 preceding species, but is less common. It is occasionally seen 

 alive in large zoological gardens, and when once properly 

 acclimated, lives in captivity very well. Usually, however, 

 it is difficult to keep alive. In captivity its food is chopped 

 carrots, cabbage, lettuce and boiled rice. A Sloth usually 



1 Cko-loe'pus hoff' man-i. 



