66 LECTURE ir. 



I should add, that aUhough the Sloths are na- 

 tives of South America, yet it is contended by Seba 

 and some others that the two-toed species has 

 been found in some parts of the East-Indies, and 

 particularly in the island of Ceylon. 



A few years ago a very remarkable animal 

 was brought into this country from the interior 

 parts of Bengal, which by Mr. Pennant and others 

 was referred to the present genus, and considered 

 as a species of Sloth. Its general appearance 

 however w as so much allied to that of a Bear, 

 that it was natural enough, at first sight to sup- 

 pose it to belong to the genus Ursus. It was in 

 company with Mr. Pennant that I first examined 

 it with accuracy, and could not but agree with him 

 in opinion that it should be regarded as a species 

 of Sloth, from the appearance of the teeth. But 

 the age of the animal was not ascertained, and it 

 was not clear that it had gained the legitimate 

 number of its teeth. It was described by myself 

 under the name of Bradypus ursinus or the Ursine 

 Sloth, and has been extremely well figured by an 

 ingenious artist, whose representation has been re- 

 peated in different works. The animal was about 

 the size of a Bear, and of a black colour, with very 



