HELPLESSNESS OF THE SLOTH 175 



THE TAMANDUA 1 is a smaller Ant-Eater than the preced- 

 ing species, of tree-climbing habits, with a proportionately 

 shorter head, no long hair on its tail, and extremely large 

 front claws. It is found in Venezuela, the Guianas, Brazil, 

 and in fact the greater portion of the region of tropical forests 

 on this continent south of Mexico. Its tail is prehensile, 

 or grasping, and in climbing is used almost constantly. One 

 of these creatures which I once kept in South America as a 

 camp pet, became very friendly, and even affectionate, and 

 when permitted would climb all over me, as if I were a new 

 and very soft species of tree. In the accompanying picture 

 the Tamandua is represented by the small central figure. 

 Its head-and-body length is about 24 inches; tail, 18 inches. 



THE SLOTH FAMILY 



Bradypodidae 



The sloths inhabit the New World only; and the so- 

 called "sloth" of Ceylon is not a sloth, but a slow lemur. 

 All the real sloths belong to the Order of Edentates, and in- 

 habit the tropical forests of Central and South America, 

 from Costa Rica southward. The sloths are not really 

 toothless, for they have five pairs of teeth in the upper jaw, 

 and four in the lower. 



One cannot look at a live sloth without thinking that 

 Nature has but poorly equipped this animal to live in this 

 murderous world. Its countenance is a picture of complete 

 and far-reaching stupidity, its bodily form the acme of four- 

 footed helplessness. It can neither fight, hide nor run away. 



1 Tam-an'du-a tet-ra-dac'ty-la. 



