SOUTH AMERICA. 167 



have naturally arisen by examining the sloth in THIRD 



* J JOURNEY. 



those places where nature never intended that he - 

 should be exhibited. 



However, we are now in his own domain. Man 

 but little frequents these thick and noble forests, 

 which extend far and wide on every side of us. 

 This, then, is the proper place to go in quest of 

 the sloth. We will first take a near view of him. 

 By obtaining a knowledge of his anatomy, we Anatomy of 



1/11 U Ul A f U- L theSloth - 



shall be enabled to account tor his movements 

 hereafter, when we see him in his proper haunts. 

 His fore-legs, or, more correctly speaking, his 

 arms, are apparently much too long, while his 

 hind-legs are very short, and look as if they could 

 be bent almost to the shape of a corkscrew. Both 

 the fore and hind legs, by their form, and by the 

 manner in which they are joined to the body, are 

 quite incapacitated from acting in a perpendicular 

 direction, or in supporting it on the earth, as the 

 bodies of other quadrupeds are supported, by 

 their legs. Hence, when you place him on the 

 floor, his belly touches the ground. Now, granted 

 that he supported himself on his legs like other 

 animals, nevertheless he would be in pain, for he 

 has no soles to his feet, and his claws are very 

 sharp and long, and curved ; so that, were his 

 body supported by his feet, it would be by their 

 extremities, just as your body would be, were 

 you to throw yourself on all fours, and try to 

 support it on the ends of your toes and fingers 



