SOME SOUTH AMERICAN RULERS 137 



bear the weight of the Megatherium when he sat 

 down. 



Some of these animals made their homes as far 

 north as North Carolina, where their bones are 

 found in old river beds. But for thousands of years 

 after the gigantic sloths appeared in South America 

 they were confined wholly to that country. This 

 was because South America was for a long time an 

 island. While it remained an island its gigantic ani- 

 mals ruled the country with little difficulty. But 

 after a land connection was formed with North 

 America and the northern animals began to make 

 their way into South America, there was trouble for 

 the sloths and other big creatures, for the northern 

 animals were, as a rule, fiercer in disposition than 

 were the southern species. The tremendous strength 

 and long claws of the Megatherium undoubtedly 

 made him a formidable foe even of the elephant. 

 But, as he was much more awkward on his feet than 

 the Ivory King, he surely met with defeat in many 

 a battle which the two waged against each other. 



All the sloths were covered with a very thick 

 skin, on which grew coarse hair. And in addition 



