SLOW LEMUR. 83 



the same from beginning to end; drawing itself on 

 from barto bar; taking hold of the upper part of one 

 bar by its fore feet, and not quitting it till it had 

 slowly and very strongly grasped another bar with 

 one of its hands. When it crept on the ground it 

 moved with the same slowness, dragging one foot 

 after the other as if paralytic ; and in this motion 

 it raised its body but very little, merely drawing 

 itself forward in such a manner that frequently 

 the belly A^as scarce a finger's breadth from the 

 ground. It Avas to no purpose to drive it by 

 passing a stick through the wires, which did not 

 make it let go its hold : if pushed too rudely it 

 bit the stick; and this Avas all the defence it made. 

 Towards evening it awaked little by little; like 

 one interrupted in sleep after having waked a long- 

 time. Its first care Avas to eat; for by day the 

 moments Avere too precious to spare from repose. 

 After having finished this task, which it per- 

 formed sufficiently quick for a Sloth, it evacuated 

 the remains of its former meal: its urine had a 

 strong, disagreeable odour, and its faeces resembled 

 the small pellets of sheep's dung. Its common 

 diet, according to the account of the captain of 

 the vessel which brought it over, was rice boiled 

 very thick; and he had never seen it drink. 



u Being persuaded that this animal would not 

 refuse a different kind of nourishment, I gave it a 

 sprig of lime-tree with leaves on it; but it rejected 

 it: fruits, such as pears and cherries, were more 

 to its taste: it willingly eat dry bread and biscuit; 

 but would not touch them if dipped in water. 



