3 20 
S X, O T H. 
Inhabits moll parts of the eaflern fide of South 
America: the moil fluggifh and moil flow of all ani¬ 
mals *, feems to move with the utmoft pain j makes- 
a great progrefs if it can go a quarter of a league in 
a day * : afcends trees, in which it generally lives, 
With much difficulty : its food is fruit, or the leaves 
of trees ; if it cannot find fruit on the ground, looks 
out for a tree well loaded, and with great pains 
climbs up : to fave the trouble of defending, flings 
off the fruit, and forming itfelf into a ball, drops 
from the branches, continues at the foot till it 
has devoured all; nor ever ftirs, till compelled by 
hunger **: its motion is attended with a moft 
moving and plaintive cry, which at once produces 
pity and difguft *, is its only defence ; for every bead: 
of prey is fo affeded by the noife, as to quit it with 
horror -f: its note, according to Kircher , is an af- 
cending and defending hexachofd J, which it utters 
only by night: its look is fo piteous as to move com¬ 
panion •, it is alfo accompanied with tears, that dif- 
fuade every body from injuring fo wretched a being i 
its abfiinence from food is remarkably powerfull ^ 
one that had fafcened itfelf by its feet to a pole, and 
was fo fufpended crofs two beams, remained forty 
days without meat, drink or fleep § : the llrength 
in its feet is fo great, that whatfoever it feizes on 
cannot poffibly be freed from its claws. A dog was 
let loofe at the above-mentioned animal, when it was 
* Gumilla Orencque, II. 13. 
** XJlloas <voy. I. 103. 
t Ibid. 
J Kircher* s Mufurgia , as quoted by Mr. Stilling feet, in his mifcel- 
laneous tracts, />. ioq. 
§ Kircher . 
taken 
