thinks is the lefs to be wondered at, when perhaps the 

 major part of mankind experience the fame fate. 

 With fubmiffion, however, to this lively Naturalift, I 

 fhould not hefitate to believe that the Sloth, notwith- 

 ftanding this appearnce of wretchednefs and deformity, 

 is as well fafhioned for its proper modes and habits of 

 life, and feels as much happinefs in its folitary and ob- 

 fcure retreats, as the reft of the animal world of greater 

 locomotive powers and fuperior external elegance. 



The Sloth feeds chiefly on fruit : it will even feed 

 on the leaves of trees ; and it is of all animals the moft 

 languid in its motions. Its voice is faid to be fo incon- 

 ceivably lingular, and of fuch a mournful melancholy, 

 attended at the fame time with fuch a mifery of afpedt, 

 that it excites at once a mixture of pity and difguft • 

 and that the animal makes ufe of this natural yell as 

 its bell mode of defence ; lince other creatures are 

 frightened away by the uncommon found. This is, 

 however, far from being its only refuge ; for fo great 

 is the lhareof mufcular ftrength which it poffefles, that 

 it is capable of feizing a dog with its claws, and hold- 

 ing it, in fpite of all its efforts to efcape, 'till it perifhes. 

 with hunger ; for the Sloth itfelf is fo well calculated 

 for fupporting abftinence, that the celebrated Kircher 

 allures us of its power in this refpedl having been ex- 

 emplified by the very lingular experiment of fuffering 

 one which had fattened itfelf to a pole, to remain in 

 that lituation, without any fuftenance, 'till it perilhed 

 through fatigue and famine ; which did not happen 'till 

 more than the fpace of a whole month. 



There is another fpecies of Sloth which has the fame 

 general appearance with the fpecies here figured, but 

 is furnilhed with only two toes to the fore-feet. 



