ADAPTATION OF ANIMALS. 607 



caribe of the Orinoco. There is also a small species- — a harm- 

 less, pretty little fish, of a bright green colour on the back, 

 and a white belly streaked with pink. The teeth are used 

 by the Macoushi Indians for sharpening the points of their 

 poisoned arrows. This they do by drawing them rapidly 

 between two of the teeth, in the way that knives are sharp- 

 ened by two circular steel files, now in common use. 



ADAPTATION OF ANIMALS TO THEIR DESTINED MODE OF 

 EXISTENCE. 



Strange and unfitted for existence as are many of the 

 animals formed by the Almighty to the short-seeing eye of 

 mortals, on a further acquaintance with them all will be dis- 

 covered admirably suited to the life they are destined to 

 enjoy. Following Waterton, we may take five as an example. 

 The sloth, which has four feet, is unable to use them to sup- 

 port his body on the earth. They are destitute of soles, and 

 the muscles requisite for progress in a perpendicular position ; 

 yet no creature is more thoroughly at home when clinging to 

 the trees on which it has been created to exist. The ant- 

 bear, without a tooth in his head, roves fearlessly in the 

 forests inhabited by the jaguar and boa-constrictor. The 

 sharp claws of his fore-feet enable him to confront the former, 

 and his powerful muscular body and thick hair set even the 

 boa at defiance. The vampire is unable to use his feet for 

 walking, but he possesses a membrane, stretched by means of 

 his legs, which enables him to mount up into an element 

 where no other quadruped can follow. The armadillo, with- 

 out fur or wool or bristles, has in their stead a movable 

 shell placed on his back, so formed that he can roll himself up 

 in a ball, while with his sharp claws he can dig rapidly into 



