178 TOOTHLESS MAMMALS 
We shot some of our specimens, and others we took alive 
by cutting down their trees. One tree fell with its top in the 
river, and the sloth was carried four feet under water. But 
even the prospect of drowning did not make him hurry to 
the surface. To my amazement, he climbed up through the 
branches, slowly and deliberately, until at last, with dignity 
entirely unruffled, he appeared above the surface, and looked 
at me with a most disgusted expression on his wooden counte- 
nance. 
Sloths eat so slowly that before one meal is over it is time 
for the next, so that their meals overlap one another. 
The Three-Toed Sloth is not found above the Isthmus of 
Panama, but two other species inhabit Central America as 
far north as Nicaragua. It is considerably smaller than the 
next species, having a head-and-body length of 21 inches, 
while the spread of its outstretched arms, exclusive of the 
claws, is 3214 inches. The tail is so very short that it seems 
to be wanting entirely, but in reality its length is 114 inches. 
Tue Two-Torp Storn,' also called Horrman’s Siots, 
ranges northward as far as Costa Rica. It is the largest 
living member of the Sloth Family, and its appearance is 
well shown in the accompanying picture of a specimen kept 
in the Zoological Park. It inhabits the same regions as the 
preceding species, but is less common. It is occasionally seen 
alive in large zoological gardens, and when once properly 
acclimated, lives in captivity very well. Usually, however, 
it is difficult to keep alive. In captivity its food is chopped 
carrots, cabbage, lettuce and boiled rice. A Sloth usually 
1 Cho-loe'pus hoff'man-t. 
