a bear. Now listen, boys, to a few words about this animal. It lives in
thick, gloomy forests, so that it can scarcely ever be taken. When
placed on the ground it cannot walk, but drags itself forward, with its
fore legs, crying all the time, as if in great pain. Its claws are long,
and turn up under its feet. In the woods it lives all the time on the
trees, hanging from a branch, with its back toward the ground. Tell me
what you think of such an animal."

"I think it must be miserable all day long," replied Samuel.

"So every one thought, about fifty years ago," said Mr. Harvey; but men
who have gone to the countries where sloths are, and seen them in the
high trees, tell a very different story. They say that the sloth's home
is in the branches, as much as a fish's is in the water; and he is there
a strong and happy animal, although he looks so weak and miserable on
the ground. He lives on fruit, and moves from one branch and one tree to
another, with considerable swiftness. So you see that the sloth enjoys
himself as well as any of us; and I have no doubt that he was created
for some good purpose, although we may not be able to understand
precisely what it is.

"But do not some animals eat each other?" asked Thomas.

"Yes," replied Mr. Harvey; "but this is of great use to man. What would
the farmer do with all the insects that destroy his grain, if many of
them were not eaten by little birds; and how much of his fruit would
these very birds destroy, if they, too, were not eaten by hawks! If
animals did not destroy each other, they would soon become so numerous
as to crowd man from the earth."