312 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



The Musk Ox is numerous between the latitudes of 66 and 73 de- 

 grees north. It does not appear that they are found at the head wa- 

 ters of the Mississippi or the Missouri. They first appear on the 

 western side of Hudson's Bay, and continue north. Mr. Hearne, in 

 his journey to the Northern Ocean, saw many herds of these ani- 

 mals. They delight most in the rocky and barren mountains, and 

 seldom frequent the woody parts of the country. They are found 

 in droves of twenty or thirty. They run nimbly, and are ver\- ac- 

 tive in climbing the rocks. The flesh tastes strongly of musk; but 

 it is considered wholesome and beneficial to convalescents. The 

 hair of this animal is of a dusky red, extremely fine, and so long 

 as to trail upon the ground, and render the beast a seeming shape- 

 less mass, without distinction of head or tail ; the legs and tail are 

 very short; the shoulders are gibbous. In size, lower than a Deer, 

 but larger as to belly and quarters. For a complete description of 

 this animal, illustrated with a good plate, we refer the reader to 

 Pennant's Arctic Zoology, London, 1792. 



The Long-nosed Tapir has been, by some authors, mistaken for 

 the Hipporixitftrnus, Avhich is not found in the New World. The Ta- 

 pir is about the size of a small cow : its nose is long and slender, and 

 extends far beyond the jaw, forming a kind of proboscis, which it 

 can contract or extend at pleasure ; its ears are small and erect : its 

 body formed like that of a Hog : its hair short, and of a dusky brown 

 colour. This animal inhabits the woods and rivers of Mexico ; and 

 extends through a considerable part of South America, as D'Azara 

 describes it in his History of the (Quadrupeds of Paraguay. It is a 

 solitary animal, sleeps during the day, and goes out in the night in 

 search of food, which consists of grass, sugar-canes, fruits, &c. It 

 is quite inoffensive, avoids all hostilities with other animals, and flies 

 from every appearance of danger. 



"The Tapir," says Henderson, "is an inhabitant of the thickest 

 and most retired woods in the neighbourhood of rivers and creeks. 

 It swims, dives, and is considered to possess the property of walking 

 beneath the water. As this animal cautiously avoids the day, it is 

 but rarely met with. The meat of the Tapir, contrary to what has 

 been pronounced of it, is in this country considered exceedingly 

 coarse and rank.* 



The Pecary is found in Louisiana, at the head waters of the Red 

 River; and extends thence throughout Mexico, and the principal 

 part of South America. In some places it is very numerous, herds 

 of two or three hundred are said to be found together. They live 

 chiefly in the higher parts of the country, and are not fond of wallow- 

 ing in the mire like the common Hog. Their food consists of fruits, 

 roots, seeds, &c. They likewise eat Serpents, Toads, and Lizards. 



The Pecary resembles a small Hog of the common kind. Its body 

 is covered with strong bristles, which, when the animal is irritated, 

 rise up like the prickles of a Hedgehog, and are nearly as strong ; 

 they are of a dusky colour, with alternate rings of white ; it has two 

 tusks in each jaw ; its ears are small and erect ; and instead of a tail, 

 it has a small fleshy protuberance, which does not cover its posteriors. 

 This animal has a small glandular orifice on the lower part of the 

 back, whence a thin watery humour flows. This humour has been 

 represented by some, as of an extremely fetid smell ; but Don 



* Henderson's Honduras, p. 103. 



