NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Varieties Manners, &c. 



tesque phisiognomy. Its general colour is a 

 greyish brown, and the hair is long and coarse, 

 covering the body, particularly about the back 

 and thighs, very thickly. 



The female produces one young one, which 

 she occasionally carries on her back. 



There are two varieties of this animal, which, 

 however, are principally distinguished by the 

 number of their claws; the one having three 

 long claws on each foot, w : hile the other has only 

 two. Of the former species, called the ai, a cu* 

 rious account has been given by Kircher, princi- 

 pally from the authority of a provincial of the 

 Jesuits, in South America, who had several of 

 these animals in his possession, and tried various 

 experiments with them relative to their nature 

 and properties. According to this author, the 

 animal is about the size of a cat, has a very ugly 

 countenance, and has its claws extended like fin- 

 gers. It sweeps the ground with its belly, and 

 moves so slowly that it would scarcely go the 

 length of a bow-shot in fifteen days, though con* 

 stantly in motion ; hence it obtained the name 

 of sloth. It resides chiefly on the tops of trees, 

 and employs two days in crawling up, and as 

 many in getting down again. Nature has doubly 

 guarded it against its enemies ; first, hy giving it 

 such strength in its feet, that whatever it seizes, 

 it holds so fast, that it will not suffer itself to be 

 freed, but must die of hunger: Secondly, in 

 having given it such an affecting countenance, 



