10 ARKIV^ FÖR ZOOLOGI. BAND 6. NIO 15. 



of Indian Tapir when measured by means of a string still adhe- 

 rent to the mesentery is about 15 m. 80 cm, and the large 

 intestine about 3 m. 65 cm. The latter is thus only about 23, i % 

 of the former. This relation, although, of course, only approxi- 

 mate, may be more accurate than the result found by earlier 

 authors according to which the large intestine should be com- 

 paratively longer. Poelman's^ measurements agree, however, 

 pretty nearly with those recorded above as according to them 

 the length of the large intestine should be about 25,2 % of the 

 lengtli of the small. According to Home the same relation 

 should be approximately about 28 7o, according to Owen nearly 

 29 7ot and according to Murie- still more or about 30%. 



To judge from the measurements of the small and the 

 large intestine of the Horse published by Ellenberger and 

 Baum it will appear that the length of the latter organ is 

 about 31 to 32% of that of the former in that animal 



According to Garrod the small intestine of a Sumatran 

 Rhinoceros measured »36 feet» and the large intestine »16 

 feet,» the relation is thus 44 7o. 



To judge from the measurements recorded by Owen^ 

 for the intestines of two specimens of the Indian Rhinoceros 

 the relation between the small and large intestine in this 

 animal corresponds very nearly with the same of the Sumatran 

 Rhinoceros viz. being resp. 44 and 46 7o in the two specimens. 



The length of the large intestine of the Sondaic Rhino- 

 ceros is recorded by Beddard and Treves to be »14 V-^ feet» 

 but as there is no measurement of the small intestine men- 

 tioned there is no possibility to say whether the relation 

 between these organs is different from that of the Sumatran 

 Rhinoceros. From the above quoted notes it appears, howe- 

 ver, probable that the large intestine of the Indian Tapir 

 is, if compared with the small intestine, shorter than that 

 of the Horse and the Rhinoceroses, as far as the condition 

 of the latter is known. This may be due either to a diffe- 

 rent diet, the food of the Indian Tapir should then be more 

 easily digested, or to the caecal apparatus of this animal 

 being more effective in its functions, so that the colon did 

 not need to be developed to such a great length as in the 

 others; or both these circumstances may work together. 



1 Mém. de TAcad. R. Belgique. T. XXVII. 1853 p. 9. 



2 Journ. Anat. Phys- Vol. VI. 1871 p. 140. 

 " Anat. of Vertebrates III p. 462—463. 



