158 THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD 



The largest of all the tapirs. 



[Notlinr Hill 



MALAYAN TAPIR 



Is easily distinguished from the American tapirs by the patch of 

 ivhite on the middle of its body 



partly, it is believed, that they 

 may encase themselves with it 

 as a protection against the an- 

 noyance of flies. They feed 

 on shoots of trees, bushes, 

 leaves, and fallen fruits, forag- 

 ing during the evening, and 

 possibly far into the night. 



Tapirs are hunted by the 

 natives for the sake of their 

 thick hides, which are cut into 

 thongs for reins and bridles. 

 The flesh also is esteemed 

 by some. There are three 

 methods of capture. In South 

 America the lasso is used with 

 occasional success. But when 

 not foiled by undergrowth, 

 the hunter often loses his 

 victim by reason of the vio- 

 lence and force of its rush, which snaps the thong. The Gauchos intercept it with dogs on its way 

 to the water, when it will fight furiously, and many dogs may be killed before its dispatch is accom- 

 plished. Others imitate its peculiar, shrill call, and shoot it on its approach in answer thereto. 

 Captives are easily tamed, and may be seen walking about the streets in main- South American 

 towns. They wander into the forest by day, returning in the evening to be fed, and are said to 

 di>play great affection. On account of their great strength, it has been suggested that such cap- 

 tives should be used as beasts of burden. 



Except the Malayan Tapir, which is black and white, tapirs are black or dark brown in 

 colour, and but scantily clothed with hair; but the young, it is interesting to note, are spotted and 

 striped with white or fawn-coiour on a dark ground, a coloration recalling that of the wild pig. 



There are five different species of tapir. Their geographical distribution is remarkable, four 

 species being South American, and one belonging to the Malayan region. But far back in the 

 world's history, as we know from fossils, tapirs roamed over the warm and temperate regions of 

 Europe, and their remains have been found in China and the United States. Thus the interve- 

 ning gaps existing to-day have been made by the extinction of these intermediate species. 



By nature the tapir appears to be a harmless and inoffensive animal, flying even before the 

 smallest dog. Occasionally, however, it displays great courage and ferocity, and this appears to 

 be especially the case with females deprived of their young. At such times they will charge with 

 great spirit, and knock down, trample on, and bite their victim after the fashion of wild swine. 



Man alone excepted, the most deadly foe of the American Tapir is the jaguar, as is the tiger of 

 the Malay species. The American tapir often gets rid of the jaguar by rushing at full speed into 

 the dense jungle, thus sweeping its assailant from its back, the jaguar's claws finding but an 

 insecure hold on its victim's thick hide. Tapirs are often found bearing scars all over the back, 

 witnessing the terrible nature of the wounds received at such times. 



That the tapir is a comparatively unknown animal is partly accounted for by the fact that it 

 is but little s ( ,ught after by the big-game hunter — who finds more excitement in pursuit of its 

 larger relative the rhinoceros — and partly, perhaps, owing to its inhabiting regions comparatively 

 little visited by Europeans. Nevertheless, the tapir is an animal of quite peculiar interest, having 

 undergone but little change during long ages, whilst its ally the horse has effected in the same 

 time a complete transformation, not only in its general shape, but more especially in its teeth and 



