233 
THE SLOTH. 
Of the animals called sloths, from the ex- 
treme slowness and sluggishness of their move- 
ments, there are three species, distinguished 
by the number of their toes, having respec- 
tively two, three, and five toes. The two 
former are natives of the hotter parts of South 
America ; the latter, called the ursine sloth, 
from its shaggy coat, is found in India, chiefly 
in the island of Ceylon. They are harmless 
inoffensive creatures, living wholly on vege- 
table food. It is the three-toed species which 
we have to describe. 
In its general appearance it is extremely 
uncouth ; the body is thick, the feet very 
small, but armed with three very long strong 
claws, of a curved form and sharp-pointed. 
The head is small, the face short, naked, and 
