SOUTH AMERICA. 
151 
have not been penned down with the slightest inten- third 
tion to mislead the reader, or give him an exagge-- J 
rated history, but that these errors have naturally 
arisen by examining the sloth in those places where 
nature never intended that he should be exhibited. 
However, we are now in his own domain. Man 
but little frequents these thick and noble forests, 
which extend far and wide on every side of us. This, 
then, is the proper place to go in quest of the sloth. 
We will first take a near view of him. By obtaining 
a knowledge of his anatomy, we shall be enabled to Anatomy 
account for his movements hereafter, when we see sloth, 
him in his proper haunts. His fore-legs, or, more 
correctly speaking, his arms, are apparently much 
too long, while his liind-legs are very short, and 
look as if they could be bent almost to the shape of 
a corkscrew. Both the fore and hind-legs, by their 
form, and by the manner in which they are joined 
to the body, are quite incapacitated from acting in a 
perpendicular direction, or in supporting it on the 
earth as the bodies of other quadrupeds are sup¬ 
ported, by their legs. Hence, when you place him 
on the floor, his belly touches the ground. Now, 
granted that he supported himself on his legs like 
other animals, nevertheless he would be in pain, for he 
has no soles to his feet, and his claws are very sharp 
and long, and curved ; so that, were his body sup¬ 
ported by his feet, it would be by their extremities, 
just as your body would be, were you to throw your¬ 
self on all fours, and try to support it on the ends of 
your toes and fingers—a trying position. Were the 
