460 UNGULATA. 



and force the jaguar, who is no diver, to reUnquish iiis hold. The tough, 

 thick hide with wiiich the Tapir is covered is of great service in enabling 

 the animal to pursue its headlong course through the forest without 

 suffering injury troni the branches. When it runs, it carries its head 

 very low, as does the wild boar under similar circumstances. 



In disposition the Tapir is very gentle, and does not attack human 

 beings except when wounded and driven to bay. It then becomes a 

 fierce and determined opponent, and is capable of inflicting severe 

 w(junds with its powerful teeth. The hunter's dogs are often danger- 

 ously wounded by the teeth of the despairing Tapir. The voice of the 

 Tapir has a curious, shrill, whistling sound : it is but seldom uttered, 

 and is in ridiculous disproportion to the size of the animal. .Schom- 

 burgk indeed believed that it was only uttered bv the young ones; 

 but the observation of captive Tapirs show that it is the usual voice of 

 the animal. The senses of hearing and scent appear to be equally sensi- 

 tive, but its sight is weak. During the daytime it is seldom seen, prefer- 

 ring to lie quietly hidden in flic deep imderwood during the hotter 

 hours of the day, and to emerge at night in order to f)btain food, and 

 meet its companions. The nocturnal journey's which the Tapir will 

 make are of considerable extent, and the animal proceeds straight 

 onwards, heedless of bank or river, surmounting the one, and swimming 

 the other, with equal ease. The food of the Tapir is generally of a 

 vegetable nature, and consists of young branches and various wild fruits, 

 such as gourds and melons. 



The Tapir is often seen in menageries, and bears captivity well ; of 

 course it requires a warm stall and protection from the cold of winter, 

 as, like other importations from the tropics, it is very suliiect, in our 

 variable climate, to diseases of the lungs. It is reported that in I5razil 

 attempts have been made to tame the Tajiir into a really domesticated 

 animal, less for the sake of its food, than for the purpose of making it a 

 draught animal. And indeed it might be worth the trouble of trj-ing 

 the experiment, for they are easily tamed. Frederick Cuvier has given 

 us a few details of the habits of a young Ta|)ir with which he was 

 acquainted. This animal was gentle and confiding, and appeared to 

 have no will of its own. It did not defend its food, but allowed the dogs 

 and goats to partake of it logetlur with itself. When it was let loose 

 into an enclosure, after having been shut up for some time, it showed its 

 icy by running round it several times. It also playfully seized b}' the 



