278 CLASS MAMMALIA. 



in the progress of future investigation. With this view 

 therefore, we have engraved a figure from our collection of 

 drawings by Howitt, from a specimen which appears for- 

 merly, if not at present, to have belonged to Mr. Swainson. 

 It was about two feet in length, and was therefore inter- 

 mediate between the two other specimens engraved. The 

 colour was uniformly of a dirty yellowish white, with a 

 tinge of brown on the back and about the neck ; but from 

 the top of the head and neck proceeded a pretty considera- 

 ble patch of long black hairs ; the face was swarthy. 



Major Smith has also a drawing from the same speci- 

 men ; and from a note of his upon the drawing, it appears 

 that M. Temminck had seen the specimen whence it was 

 taken^ and had applied the epithet Cristatus to it as a spe- 

 cific name. There is decidedly a much nearer alliance be- 

 tween this and the specimen next mentioned than between 

 that and the third sloth with three toes we have figured, 

 which, though so widely different in size and colour, is re- 

 ferred to the same species. 



To this is added a figure of a specimen which has long 

 been kept in spirits in the British Museum, which presents 

 considerable differences in the arrangement and number of 

 spots from the Common Ai as ordinarily described, to 

 which, at least, as a variety, it is referred. This is closely 

 covered, as appears by the figure, with small black spots 

 on a dirty white ground. 



Another specimen in the British Museum, of the Three- 

 toed Sloth, has also been engraved, which presents differ- 

 ences from the last, as to colour, equal to those of dimen- 

 sions. The specimen is uniformly of a light ochrey brown, 

 approaching to fawn-colour, rather darker on the back, 

 and lighter on the underparts and round the face. This 

 may be the Ai a dos brule of Sonnini. 



This, and the spotted specimen last mentioned and figured, 

 both appear, by the state of the teeth, to be ajiult if not old 



