ANIMALS. Mb 



CHAP. XV. 



THE SLOTH. 



Of the Sloth there are two difTerent kinds, distinguished fiooi 

 each other by their claws ; the one, which in its native country 

 is called the unan, having only two claws upon the fore feet, and 

 being without a tail ; the other, which is called the ai, having a 

 tail, and three claws upon each foot. The nnan has the snout 

 longer, the ears more apparent, and the fur very different from 

 the other. It differs also in the number of its ribs, this having 

 forty-six, while the ai has but twenty-eight. These differences, 

 however, which, though very apparent, have been but little re- 

 garded in the description of two animals which so strongly re- 

 semble each other in the general outlines of their figure, in their 

 appetites, and their helpless formation. 



They are both, therefore, described under the common appel- 

 ktion of the sloth, and their habitudes well deserve our wonder 

 and curiosity. Nature seems cramped and constrained in their 

 formation ; other animals are often indolent from choice, these 

 are slow from necessity, the ai, from which I shall take my de- 

 scription, and from which the other differs only in the slight par- 

 ticulars above-mentioned, and in being rather more active, is ot 

 about the size of a badger. Its fur is coarse and staring, some- 

 what resembling dried grass ; the tail very short, and scarce ap- 

 pearing ; the mouth extended from ear to ear ; the eye dull and 

 heavy ; the feet armed with three claws each, and made so short, 

 and set on so awkwardly, that a few paces is often the journey 

 of a week ; but tliough the feet are short, they are still lunger 



claws on the foro feet are extremely disproportionate ; the outer one bein^ 

 very large, and the inner one much smaller. The whole animal is clotlied 

 in a beautifo., soft, curled, pale yellow fur. It is a native of Guiana. The 

 prickly Ant-eater is a short, roundish animal, with a long tubular mouth, 

 and entirely covered over on the upper parts with strong sharp spines, re- 

 sembling those of the porcupine. Its tail is very short, and entirely con- 

 cealed in the spines. The head, legs, and under- parts of the body, are 

 thickly covered with a dark-brown harsh hair. On its fore feet are fivo 

 strong claws, and four on the hinder. In its mode of life it resembles the 

 rest of its tribe, being generally found in the niid>t of some large ant-hill. 

 When disturbed, it burrows with !.reat strength and despatch under 

 ffround, during which exertion its body is lengthened out ui a surprisiujj 

 niamier. 



