SLOW LEMUR. 83 
tlie same from I^eginning to end ; drawing itself on 
from bar to bar; taking hold of the upper partof 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. W hen 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 was scarce a finger s breadth from the 
ground. It was to no purpose to drive it by 
passing a stick through the wires, which did not 
make it let go its liold: if pushed too rudely it 
bit the stick; and this was 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 was to eat; for by day the 
moments were 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 fgeces 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. 
Being persuaded that this animal would not 
refuse a difi^erent 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. 
