SOUTH AMERICA. 



441 



var affirms that, in his time, above 300,000 of these animals were in actual employ. These 

 animals differ in color ; some are white, others black, but most of tlieni are brown. The 

 above engraving is drawn from a white Llama in the London Zoological Gardens. 



The Vicuna (C vicugna), the wool of which is very valuable, is smaller than the 

 Llama ; its limbs are more neatly formed, and it has no protuberance on the breast. It is of a 

 reddish-brown on the upper part of the body, and whitish on the lower. 



The P'icuna. The Paca. 



The Paca (Cozlogenus fulvus), is about the size of a hare, or rather larger, and in figure 

 somewhat like a sucking-pig, which it also resembles in its grunting and manner of eating. It is 

 generally seen along the banks of rivers, and is only to be found in the moist and warm coun- 

 tries of South America. 



Of the Sloth there are 2 different kinds, distinguished from each other by their claws ; the 



one, which in its native country is called the 

 Unai ( Bradypus didactylus) , having only 2 

 claws upon the fore feet, and being without a 

 tail ; the other, which is called the iMi (Jlcheus 

 ai), having a tail and 3 claws upon each foot. 

 The hair of the Sloth is thick and coarse at the 

 extremity, and gradually tapers to the root, 

 where it becomes fine as the finest spider's web 



The Sloth. 



The Coati. 



His fur has so much the hue of the moss which grows on the branches of the trees, that it is 

 very difficult to make him out when he is at rest. The Sloth, in its wild state, spends its 

 whole life in the trees, and never leaves them but through force or accident ; and what is more 

 extraordinary, he lives not upon the branches, but suspended under them. His formation pre- 

 vents him from moving widiout much difficulty, along the ground. " The Sloth," says Water- 

 ton, " i; as much ai a !n=; how to proceed on his journey upon a smooth and level floor, as a 



50 . ' 



