56 



SKETCH OF THE HISTORY OF MAMMALIA. 



23.— Young Tapir. 



out into fits of irritation, plunging about, lunging vio- 

 lently with their heads, and snapping with their teeth 

 like a hog. The most formidable enemy of this animal 

 (if we except man) is the jaguar; and it is asserted that 

 when that tiger of the American forest throws itself upon 

 the tapir, the latter rushes through the most dense and 

 tangled underwood, bruising its enemy, and endeavour- 

 ing thus to dislodge him, and sometimes succeeds in the 

 attempt. 



In Cayenne the tapir is occasionally domesticated, 

 and is harmless and quiet; it becomes indeed familiar, 

 and often proves troublesome to those who caress it, as 

 may be imagined would be the case with a pet hog under 

 similar cii'cumstances. The adult tapir measures from 

 five to six feet in length, and between three and four in 

 height; its colour is uniform deep blackish brown; the 

 young are longitudinally marked with spots and six or 

 eight bands of fawn-colour along the body, and with 

 numerous spots of the same tint on the cheeks. (Fig. 23.) 



The Malay or Indian Tapir 

 ( Tapirus Lidicus, Farquhar). 

 This species was first introduced to science by Major 

 Farquhar in 1816. It is a native of Sumatra and the 



