y, though it is found in the Amazon
region principally. The sloth (_Bradypus_) is an arboreal animal which
feeds almost exclusively on the foliage of the Cecropias. It includes
two recognized genera and half a dozen species, the best known of
which is _B. didactylus_. The common name in Brazil is _preguica_,
which is equivalent to its English name. Of armadillos, commonly
called _tatu_ in Brazil, the largest species is the _Dasypus gigas_,
but the best known is the _tatu-ete_ (_D. octocinctus_), which is
highly esteemed for its flesh. The ant-eaters (_Myrmecophaga_) are
divided into three or four species, one of which (_M. jubata_) is
exclusively terrestrial, and the others arboreal. The popular name for
the animal is _tamandua_. The _M. jubata_, or _tamandua bandeira_, is
sometimes found as far south as Paraguay. Of the ruminants, Brazil has
only four or five species of _Cervidae_, which are likewise common to
other countries of South America. The largest of these is the marsh
deer (_C. paludosus_), which in size resembles its European congeners.
The others are the _C. campestris_, _C. nemorivagus_, _C. rufus_ and a
small species or variety called _C. nanus_ by the Danish naturalist Dr
P.W. Lund. The pachyderms are represented by three species of the
peccary (_Dicotyles_) and two of the anta, or tapir (_Tapirus_). The
former are found over a wide range of country, extending into Bolivia
and Argentina, and are noted for their impetuous pugnacity. The tapir
also has an extensive range between the coast and the foothills of the
Andes, and from northern Argentina to south-eastern Colombia. It is
the largest of the Brazilian mammals, and inhabits densely forested
tracts near river courses. The two species are _T. americanus_, which
is the larger and best known, and the _anta chure_, found in Minas
Geraes, which is said to be identical with the _T. Roulini_ of
Colombia. Perhaps the most interesting mammal of Brazil is the
_manati_, or sea-cow (_Manatus americanus_), which inhabits the lower
Amazon and sometimes reaches a length of 15 to 20 ft. It is taken with
the harpoon and its oil is one of the commercial products of the
Amazon valley.

The avifauna of Brazil is rich in genera, species and individuals,
especially in species with brilliantly-coloured plumage. It is
estimated that more than half the birds of Brazil are insectivorous,
and that more than