EDENTATA. 161 



neck. The hair is coarse, and of singular texture, like 

 withered grass, patched with light and dark brown, 

 and no doubt aids its concealment among the grey 

 tree-moss, ( Usnea, &c.,) which so abundantly streams 

 from the trees in its native forests. Notwithstanding 

 the rigidity and awkwardness of the limbs, the fore- 

 foot is used to convey food to the mouth. The 

 mamrnce are placed on the breast ; and the solitary 

 young one clings to the body of the parent in her 

 peregrinations, till strong enough to provide its own 

 living. The stories told of their stripping a tree 

 even of its leaves, rather than undergo the exertion 

 of removing, and then, to be consistent, letting 

 themselves drop off, though repeated even by Cuvier, 

 are absurd and unworthy of confutation. There are 

 two or three species, all natives of South America, 

 the best known of which are the Three-toed and the 

 Two-toed Sloths (B. Tridactylus and B. Didactylus). 

 They are also known by the native names of Ai and 

 Unau. The former is the species to which we have 

 chiefly alluded ; it is about as large as a cat. The 

 other is rather larger, but bears a great resemblance 

 to its relative. 



Intermediate between these animals and the suc- 

 ceeding, probably came two gigantic creatures, which 

 inhabited this earth in a former state, but of which 

 only the fossil remains are now found : the Mega- 

 therium,* which was twelve feet long, and seven 

 high, and the Megalonyx,f which was probably little 



* Meyaj, megas, great, and 4*g/0y, therion, a wild beast. 

 t M'fyxs and oW|j onX) a nail. 



