NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Slowness of motion Plaintive cry. 



the thickness of its hair, securing it from any 

 unpleasant effect in its fall. Buffon remarks, 

 that these creatures will sometimes suspend them- 

 selves hy their claws from the branches of trees, 

 and thus hanging, a branch may be cut off, and 

 they will fall with it rather than quit their hold. 

 One that was taken by some mariners, and car- 

 ried on board their vessel, climbed from the lower 

 part of the mizen -shrouds to the mast-head : oc- 

 cupying two hours, in what a monkey would 

 have performed in less than half a minute. 



These animals are always most active during 

 the night, when they utter a plaintive cry, which 

 seems to ascend and descend through six succes- 

 sive musical intervals. Woodes Rogers observes^ 

 that vvhen the Spaniards first arrived in America, 

 and heard this unusual noise, they imagined they 

 were near some nation, the people of which had 

 been instructed in European music. 



When in a state of confinement the sloth 

 never rests on the ground, but always climbs on 

 some post or door to repose. If a pole be held 

 out to it, w-hen on the ground, it will immediately 

 lay hold, climb to the top, and firmly adhere 

 to it. 



