THE TROPICAL ZONE. 237 



itself distinguished from those around by a somewhat pecu- 

 liar character. Our climbing friend comes along at such a 

 respectable pace that we hesitate at first as to whether or no 

 it can be a sloth ; but we feel no doubt as to its identity 

 when we remember that as respects the locomotive powers 

 of this injured race, Buffon and others have been found 

 guilty of defamation of character. Though not quite so 

 nimble as some of his four-legged neighbours, he still con- 

 trives to "pass with considerable rapidity from branch to 

 branch," hanging on all the time by his legs and feet. The 

 leaves of the tree on which he is climbing, the Cecropia 

 peltata, form his favourite food; this tree belongs to the 

 same tribe as the Breadfruit (Artocarpaceai) . The long 

 racemes of stameniferous blossoms hang down in clusters 

 of about four together. The large leaves are perhaps the 

 most remarkable feature of the tree ; they are ten inches or 

 more in diameter, and deeply cut into about eight divisions, 

 the stalk being in the centre, and they are so white under- 

 neath, that, when agitated by the wind, the tree looks at a 

 distance as if it were covered with white blossoms. 



Eor miles our path now leads through a valley, along the 

 side of a small river, fringed on both sides by beautiful 

 herbaceous plants and delicate Terns ; whilst on its banks 



