File:Little folks in feathers and fur, and others in neither (1875) (14783784582).jpg

Identifier: littlefolksinfea00mill (find matches)
Title: Little folks in feathers and fur, and others in neither
Year: 1875 (1870s)
Authors: (Miller, Harriet (Mann) Mrs.), 1831- (from old catalog)
Subjects: Zoology
Publisher: Hartford, Conn., Dustin, Gilman & co. Cincinnati, Ohio, Queen city publishing co. (etc., etc.)
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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that can be seen. And hehas no front teeth, indeed scarcely any teeth at all. It seems to us that when he goes to sleep he must forget tohold on, and fall to the ground. But such an accident never hap-pens to him. He can bend the last joint of his toes in such a wrayas to make a strong hook of each claw, and when these are stuckfirmly into the wood, he hangs as safely as possible, on twelvehooks, you see. When he wants to eat, he either pulls himself along to hisfood, or hangs on by three legs, while the fourth pulls the food tohim. He is a little larger than a large cat, and lives in warm coun-tries, especially South America. He is dressed in a coarse, shaggy,long hair, which looks like dried grass and perfectly protects himfrom insects. Mamma Sloth is never troubled with a large family to takecare of. She has but one baby at a time, and carries it about withher till it is big enough to hang on for itself. Hanging on is the main business of life—to a Sloth. IN FEATHERS A AD FUR. 27
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HANGING BY THE HEELS. Hanging by the heels from a crack in the wall dont seem tous a very delightful position; but there is a curious little fellowwho prefers it to any other. He generally selects some deserted ruin, old dusty church-spire, damp cave, or some such quiet spot for a home; and, fixingthe long claws of his hind feet in some crack or slight projection,he hangs there all day. After the vulgar light of the sun is gone,and it gets to be twilight, he comes out to get something to eat. 28 LITTLE FOLKS This droll fellow we call a Bat, though the big books give himthe name of Cheiroptera. And there are other curious thingsabout him besides his way of hanging by the heels. To begin with, he has very odd wings. They are not offeathers, like a birds, but are made of skin and shaped like a hand;just as if your fingers were as long as your whole arm, and over thefingers and arm and fastened to the side of the body was stretchedskin, just like that on your body. Then the thumb belongin

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