1019 



TAP1RUS. 



TAi'lurs. 



l M 



pressed, and projects in the form of m plough-share. Tliero are four 

 lumbar vertebra, the transverse apophysea of which are rather Urge. 

 Tho*e of the list, which are rather shorter and oblique, are articu- 

 lated with the first sacral vertebra. These transverse apophyset hare 

 on their base the same elevated crest* as the dorsals hare for articula- 

 tion with the ribs. The os sacrum of the adult consists of seven 

 vertebrae, the spinous apophyses of which are distinct and inclined 

 backwards; the hut five of these apophyses are short and terminate 

 by a widened disc. The tail has seven vertebra. 



The bones of the extremities are remarkably strong, and in many 

 points resemble thoee of the Rhinoceros, especially the bone of the 

 > ,r: ,-<. 



Cuvier, in his osteological comparison of the Indian Tapir with the 

 American form, observe! that a glance at the profile of their respective 

 crania is sufficient to impress upon the observer their specific differ- 

 ences. The forehead of the Indian Tapir is, he observes, so convex, 

 that it rises higher than the occiput : it elevates in its rise the nasal 

 bones, which much prolongs the ascending part of the jaws and the 

 descending portion of the frontal bones along the external aperture of 

 the bony nostrils, thus giving much wider room for the comparatively 

 large proboscis, and adding length to the furrows where the muscles 

 are inserted. This organisation, he observes, explains why the Indian 

 Tapir has a more powerful and extensible trunk than that of the 

 American Tapir. There is even, he adds, in the Indian species, on the 

 base of the nasal bones at their junction with the frontal bones, and 

 on each side, a deep fossa which does not exist in the other species. 

 This elevation of the forehead is accompanied by a depression of the 

 occipital crest, which, far from forming a pyramid, as in the American 

 specks, rather descends backwards. The aperture of the bony nostrils, 

 so enlarged by the prolongation of the maxillary bones, terminates 

 below and forwards by more elevated intermaxillarics, which are for 

 the rest anchylosed together in early youth as in the American Tapir. 



The interval between the canine and the first molar is less in pro- 

 portion in the Indian Tapir, whose dentition is otherwise the same with 

 that of the American species. 



The (ygomatic apophysis of the Indian species is a little higher 

 backward and leu forward : ita mastoid apophysis is more transversely 

 homd 



Cuvier remark* that the rest of the skeleton of the two species does 

 not offer such appreciable differences. 



Mr. Yarrcll, in the fourth volume of the ' Zoological Journal," gives 

 an account of the post-mortem appearances in an American Tapir 

 brought to this country by Lieutenant Maw, R.N., which survived its 

 arrival in the gardens of the Zoological Society in the Regent's Park 

 only a few hours. 



When dead, the animal, which was said to be about 12 months old, 

 measured from the nose to the root of the tail 48 inches, and ita girth 

 was 35 inches. 



11 



44 



Dental Formula: Incisors, -; Canines, _ ; Molars, tui; 

 6 1 1 3 3 



'SO. 



The incuor teeth were very much used, the edges coming into close 

 contact when the molars are in action. The canines were small in 

 the upper jaw, and removed a short distance from the lateral incisor, 

 for the admission of the larger canines of the lower jaw. 



Mr. Yarrell refers to Sir Everard Home's paper in the ' Philosophical 

 Transactions' (1821), in which Sir Everard points out the differences 

 existing in the skulls of the Sumatran and American Tapirs, and has 

 described a part of the viscera of the former. In the Sumatran Tapir 

 the stomach is large, the intestinal canal very long, and the ciccum 

 small ; in the American Tapir the stomach is small, the intestines of 

 moderate length, and the cxcum large. 



Mr. Yarrell adds that, of the species described, tho length of the 

 Sumatran Tapir is 8 feet ; and tho whole length of its intestinal canal 

 is 89 feet 6 inches. Proportion as 11 to 1. 



The length of the American Tapir is 4 feet; and tho whole length 

 of its intestinal canal 28 feet Proportion as 7 to 1. 



Tapirtu has the following generic characters : Molars presenting 

 on their crown before they are worn two transverse and rectilineal 

 tubercles (oollines) ; nose terminated in a small moveable proboscis, 

 but not terminated with an organ of touch like that of the Elephant; 

 neck rather long ; akin rather thick, and covered with hair, looking as 

 if it had been close shorn ; two inguinal mamma. Anterior feet with 

 four toes ; posterior feet with three toes. 



Th species an found in Asia and America. The dental formula of 

 the Asiatic specie* is as follows : 



Incisors, 5. ; Canines, 1=1 ; Molsn, 1=1 - 42. 



1 1 6 



P. Jfefoyoftiu (T. /rn/ieM of the French zoologists; Le Maiba, 

 F. Cnv., ' Mamm. ), the A.ialic Tapir. " The Malay Tapir resembles 

 in form the American, and has a similar flexible proboscis, which is 

 six or eight inches in length. It* general appearance is heavy and 

 massive, somewhat resembling the Hog. The eves are small ; the 

 earn roundish, and bordered with white. Tho skin is thick aud firm, 

 thinly covered with abort hair. There is no mane on the net*, as in 

 the American specie*. The tail is very short, and almost destitute of 

 hair. The legs are short and stout ; the fore feet furnished with four 

 toes, the bind feet with three. In the upper jaw there are seven 



molars on each side, one small canine inserted exactly ou the suture 

 of the incisor bone, and in front six incisors, the two outer of which 

 are elongated into tusks. In the under jaw there are but six molars ; 

 the canines are large ; and the number of the incisors, the outer of 



Teeth of Sumatran Tapir. 



which are the smallest, is the same as in the upper jaw. The general 

 colour is glossy black, with the exception of the back, rump, and sides 

 of the belly, which are white, and separated by a defined line from 

 the parts that are black." (Raffles.) 



The habits of this species in a state of nature are probably similar 

 to those of the American Tapirs. In captivity, Major Farquhar 

 describes it as of a mild and gentle disposition. " It became as tame 

 aud familiar as a dog ; fed indiscriminately on all kinds of vegetables, 

 and was very fond of attending at table to receive bread, cakes, or 

 the like." Sir Stamford Raffles adds, that tho living specimen sent 

 from Bencoolen to Bengal was young, and became very tractable. It 

 was allowed to roam occasionally in the park at Barrackpore, and the 

 man who had charge of it informed Sir Stamford that it frequently 

 entered the ponds, and appeared to walk along the bottom under 

 water, and not to make any attempt to swim. Sir Stamford also states 

 that the fiVsh is eaten by the natives of Sumatra. 



The individuals which have been exhibited in the Regent's Park 

 Gardens have been very mild and gentle. 



T. Americans* (QmeL), the American Tapir. General colour through- 

 out deep brown approaching to black. Sides of the lower lip, band on 

 the under and middle part of the chin, upper edges of the ears, and 

 naked line at the bottom of the hoofs, pure white. Scanty hair of 

 the body very short, closely adprossed to the surface, hardly distin- 

 guishable at a short distance. The skin beneath it is of great density, 

 being, according to M. Roulin, not less than seven lines thick ou the 

 back, and eight or nine lines on the cheek, and so tough that Sonnini 

 frequently shot at a female which was crossing the river with her 

 young without disturbing her or making her turn out of her course, 

 though he saw the impression of a ball which ho had fired on the 

 animal's cheek. There is a thick rounded crest on the back of the 

 neck, extending from the forehead as low as the level of the eyes to 

 the shoulders, and bristled with a not thick mane of stiff blackish 

 hairs. Mr. Bennett remarks that it is peculiar to the present species, 

 but is not found, according to M. Roulin, in the female of Guyana ; 

 although D'Azara states that the female is equally furnished with it 

 in Paraguay. In the female brought by Lieut Maw from Para, and 

 formerly in tho menagerie of the Zoological Society of London, it 

 was very conspicuous. Head very long ; muzzle prolonged and 

 covered above with hair of the same colour as that of the body, but 

 naked and flesh-coloured at its extremity (which is flattened) and 

 underneath ; eyes very small, of a dull lead-colour. 



