porcupine is now and then discovered in the trees over your head.

This, too, is the native country of the sloth. His looks, his gestures and
his cries all conspire to entreat you to take pity on him. These are the
only weapons of defence which Nature hath given him. While other animals
assemble in herds, or in pairs range through these boundless wilds, the
sloth is solitary and almost stationary; he cannot escape from you. It is
said his piteous moans make the tiger relent and turn out of the way. Do
not then level your gun at him or pierce him with a poisoned arrow--he has
never hurt one living creature. A few leaves, and those of the commonest
and coarsest kind, are all he asks for his support. On comparing him with
other animals you would say that you could perceive deficiency, deformity
and superabundance in his composition. He has no cutting-teeth, and though
four stomachs, he still wants the long intestines of ruminating animals. He
has only one inferior aperture, as in birds. He has no soles to his feet
nor has he the power of moving his toes separately. His hair is flat, and
puts you in mind of grass withered by the wintry blast. His legs are too
short; they appear deformed by the manner in which they are joined to the
body, and when he is on the ground, they seem as if only calculated to be
of use in climbing trees. He has forty-six ribs, while the elephant has
only forty, and his claws are disproportionably long. Were you to mark
down, upon a graduated scale, the different claims to superiority amongst
the four-footed animals, this poor ill-formed creature's claim would be the
last upon the lowest degree.

Demerara yields to no country in the world in her wonderful and beautiful
productions of the feathered race. Here the finest precious stones are far
surpassed by the vivid tints which adorn the birds. The naturalist may
exclaim that Nature has not known where to stop in forming new species and
painting her requisite shades. Almost every one of those singular and