or sloth, a genus of quadrupeds belonging to the order of bruta. The characters are these: They have no fore-teeth in either jaw; the dog-teeth are blunt, solitary, and longer than the grinders; they have five grinders on each side. The body is covered with hair. There are only two species of bradypus, viz. 1. The tridalis, or American sloth, has a short tail, and only three toes on each foot. It is about the size of a fox. The body is covered over with hair of a grey colour; the face is naked; the throat is yellowish; the fore-feet are longer than the hind-feet; the claws, which are three on each foot, are compressed, and very strong; and they have no mammae on the breast; they have no external ears, but only two winding holes. This species is a native of America, and feeds upon the tender leaves of trees, and particularly the leaves of the cecropia. It never drinks, and is terrified at rain. It climbs trees with great ease; but its motion on the ground is so slow, that it can hardly walk fifty paces in a day, and from this circumstance it is called a Sloth. It makes a most disagreeable noise, resembling that of a young cat. See Plate LIX. fig. 1. 2. The didactylus, or Ceylon sloth, has two toes on each foot, and no tail: The head is round; the ears are large; and it has two mammae on the breast: The body is covered with ash-coloured hair. It has the same disagreeable cry with the American sloth, and is a native of Ceylon.