276 CLASS MAMMALIA. 



external claw of the fore-foot is one inch nine lines, and 

 the internal two inches. 



Although this animal is very heavy, and its walk vacil- 

 lating, it is yet not so slow in its motions as the A'i ; its 

 pace, however, is seldom quicker than that of a Tortoise. 

 It is fond of suspending itself by the four feet to the 

 branches of a tree, with its back downwards, and describing 

 the arch of a circle ; it even sleeps in this posture. Its fore- 

 feet answer the purpose of seizing whatever it wants to 

 eat, and carrying it to its mouth; but this motion is imper- 

 fect and painful, for its toes and claws being, like those of 

 the A'i, inseparable, extend and contract all together, and 

 thus perform but the office of a single toe. The Unau often 

 suspends itself by three of its feet, and eats with the 

 fourth ; it subsists on the leaves of various trees; its cry is 

 feeble and plaintive ; it has scarcely any power of smell, 

 and sees but badly, especially during the day ; it has no 

 violent appetite of any kind ; it can remain a long time 

 without eating. All its senses are obtuse, and the hardest 

 blows and deepest wounds make little or no impression on 

 its invincible apathy. 



The Unau, like the A'i, is an inhabitant of the southern 

 regions of America ; it is frequently to be met with in the 

 forests of Brazil and Guiana ; its flesh is coarse, and never 

 sought after, except by persons of no great delicacy of 

 palate, such as the negroes, and the savage aborigines of 

 the country. The female brings forth but one young one, 

 which fastens on her back, and exhibits no greater portion 

 of life and vivacity than its mother. 



To this species must, doubtless, be referred the Kouri, 

 or Little Unau of Buffbn. This quadruped has, like the 

 Unau, two toes on the fore-feet, and three on the hinder ; 

 but it is only a dozen inches in length from the extremity 

 of the nose to the origin of the tail, which is nothing but a 

 simple tubercle; its hair is of a musk-brown, shaded with 



