180 EDENTATA 
arboreal in habits, vegetable feeders, and limited geographically to 
the forest regions of South and Central America. 
The Sloths, as the animals of this family are called on account 
of the habitual sluggishness of their movements, are the most strictly 
arboreal of all mammals, living entirely among the branches of 
trees, usually hanging under them, with their backs downwards 
(Fig. 58), and clinging to them with the simple hook-like organs to 
which the terminations of all their limbs are reduced. When they 
are obliged from any cause to descend to the ground, which they 
rarely, if ever, do voluntarily, their limbs, owing to their unequal 
length and the peculiar conformation of the feet—which allows 
the animals to rest only on the outer edge—are most inefficient 
Fic. 58.—Two-toed Sloth (Cholepus hoffmanni). 
for terrestrial progression, and they crawl along a level surface 
with considerable difficulty. Though generally slow and inactive, 
even when in their natural haunts, Sloths can on occasions travel 
with considerable rapidity along the branches; and, as they do not 
leap, like most other arboreal creatures, they avail themselves of 
the swaying of the boughs by the wind to pass from tree to tree. 
They feed entirely on leaves and young shoots and fruits, which 
they gather in their mouth, the fore limbs aiding in dragging 
boughs within reach, but not being used like hands, as they are by 
monkeys, squirrels, etc. When sleeping they roll themselves up in 
a ball, and, owing to the dry shaggy character of their hair, are 
very inconspicuous among the mosses and lichens with which the 
