102 UNGULATA. 
Hab. Mexico, Oaxaca (Liebmann, Mus. Hafn.?; Rickards, Mus. R. Coll. Surg.) ; Hon- 
purAs, Omoa (Leyland+)?; Nicaracua (Zool. Soc. Viv.1°) ; Costa Rica (Frantzius’), 
Pacuar, Atlantic coast (Zeledon, Mus. Brit.); Panama (White, U.S. Nat. Mus.? ; 
Mus. R. Coll. Surg.*), Veragua (Salvin, Mus. Brit.®), River Chagrés (Dow®). 
So far back as 1676 the Tapir was noticed as a native of Southern Mexico by Dampier, 
under the name of “the Mountain Cow (called by the Spaniards Ante).” He was 
somewhat confused by the suggestion of a learned person in Holland that the Mountain 
Cow was identical with the Hippopotamus*, but shrewdly expresses his opinion that it 
‘“‘must needs be of a different Species.” After giving a sufficiently recognizable descrip- 
tion of the animal, and noting that “altogether it is sweet wholesome Meat,” Dampier 
gives the following account of its habits, which he says he received from his consorts, 
and from other Englishmen and Spaniards :— 
“This Creature is always found in the Woods near some large River; and feeds on 
a sort of long thin Grass, or Moss, which grows plentifully on the Banks of Rivers; but 
never feeds in Savannahs, or Pastures of good Grass, as all other Bullocks do. When 
her Belly is full, she lies down to sleep by the Brink of the River; and at the least 
Noise slips into the Water: where sinking down to the Bottom, tho’ very deep, she 
walks as on dry Ground. She cannot run fast, therefore never rambles far from the 
River; for there she always takes Sanctuary, in case of danger. There is no shooting 
of her but when she is asleep. They are found, besides this place [Campeachy], in 
the Rivers in the Bay of Honduras; and on all the Main from thence as high as the 
River of Darien. Several of my Consorts have kill’d them there, and knew their Track, 
which I myself saw in the Jsthmus of Darien ; but should not have known it, but as I 
was told by them. For I never did see one, nor the Track of any but once” f. 
But it was not till fifteen years ago that the Central-American Tapirs were distin- 
guished by zoologists. The present species, as already stated, was first characterized in 
1865 by Dr. Gill from the examination of the skull, and was named by him in deserved 
honour of Professor Spencer F. Baird, to whose labours we owe so much of our knowledge 
of American zoology’. Its external form remained unknown till two years later, when 
a young animal was described by Mr. Verrill+, and a half-grown individual by the late 
Dr. Gray®’. Since then the range of the species has been shown to extend from 
Panama to Southern Mexico ; but the discovery of a second species of Central-American 
Tapir renders further observation necessary before the exact distribution of the two 
forms can be properly understood. The authenticated localities from which Baird’s 
Tapir has been recorded are widely spread. As far back as 1843 the late Professor 
Liebmann brought home from the Mexican State of Oaxaca the mutilated skin of a 
* In the tenth edition of the ‘Systema Nature’ Linneus doubtfully included the American Tapir in the 
genus Hippopotamus, under the name of H. terrestris (p. 74) ; but in the twelfth edition it is entirely omitted. 
+ Dampier’s ‘ Voyages,’ ii. pt. 2, pp. 102, 103. 
