SOUTH AMERICA. 171 



their firm and muscular texture, how very capable THIRD 



JOURNEY. 



they are of supporting the pendent weight of - 

 his body, both in climbing and at rest ; and, 

 instead of pronouncing them a bungled com- 

 position, as a celebrated naturalist has done, 

 we shall consider them as remarkably well calcu- 

 lated to perform their extraordinary functions. 



As the sloth is an inhabitant of forests within 

 the tropics, where the trees touch each other in 

 the greatest profusion, there seems to be no 

 reason why he should confine himself to one tree 

 alone for food, and entirely strip it of its leaves. 

 During the many years I have ranged the forests, 

 I have never seen a tree in such a state of nudity ; 

 indeed, I would hazard a conjecture, that, by the 

 time the animal had finished the last of the 

 old leaves, there would be a new crop on the 

 part of the tree he had stripped first, ready for 

 him to begin again, so quick is the process of 

 vegetation in these countries. 



There is a saying amongst the Indians, that 

 when the wind blows, the sloth begins to travel. 

 In calm .weather he remains tranquil, probably 

 not liking to cling to the brittle extremity of the 

 branches, lest they should break with him in 

 passing from one tree to another ; but as soon 

 as the wind rises, the branches of the neighbour- 

 ing trees become interwoven, and then the sloth 

 seizes hold of them, and pursues his journey 

 in safety. There is seldom an entire day of 



