4& VERTEBRATES : MAMMALS. 



land animals except the elephant. They inhabit Africa, 

 Asia, and the Asiatic Archipelago. Their home is along 

 marshy borders of lakes and rivers and in the jungles. 

 Their movements are slow ; but as their sense of smell 

 and hearing is acute, they soon perceive when the hunter 

 is near, and make a safe retreat into the dense jungle. 

 When brought to bay, they charge with such fury that 

 nothing can withstand them, not even the elephant. 

 Seven species have been described, all of which belong 

 to the Genus Rhinoceros. 



The Indian Rhinoceros, R. indicus, Cuv., is nine feet 

 long and five feet high, and attains a weight of six thou- 

 sand pounds, and its horn is two or three feet long. 



TAPIRID^E, OR TAPIR FAMILY. This Family is made 

 up of pachyderms which have the nose developed into a 

 short fleshy proboscis, and which have four toes on each 

 fore foot and three on each hind one. 

 Two living species are known, both 

 of which belong to the Genus Tapir. 

 One species belongs to South Amer- 

 ica, and one to India. The Amer- 

 ican Tapir, T. Americanns, Linn., is 

 about the size of the ass, with the 



Head of the Tapir. 



skin brown and nearly naked, and 

 the nock fleshy, forming a sort of crest on the nape. 



HYRACID^:, OR DAMAN FAMILY.* This Family is 

 composed of little animals scarcely larger than rabbits, 

 and which Cuvier describes by calling them Rhinoceroses 

 in miniature, without horns. The Damans inhabit the 

 rocky districts of Africa and Syria. They are covered 

 with fur, and are sometimes called Rock-Rabbits. 



SUIM:, OR SWINE FAMILY. This Family is made up of 

 pachyderms which have a pointed head, blunt snout, large 

 ears, slender legs, and the skin covered with bristles. 



* Many naturalists regard this group as a distinct order, and cal] it 

 Hyracoidea. 



