ORDER PERISSODACTYLA I ODD-TOED UNGULATES 



373 



defenceless creatures as peculiar. They allege that the Creator, 

 having devised all other beasts to his entire satisfaction, had left 

 over numerous remnants of clay. Taking these in his hands, he 

 rolled them all up together .... Hence the tapir." 



According to Giles (1936, pp. 167-168), "They are also found in 

 the forests of Tavoy and Mergui in Burma and in the Malay States 

 .... The flesh of this animal is not much esteemed as food nor is 

 the animal sought after for commercial purposes. The reason for 

 this animal having survived may be found in these two main factors. 

 The chief enemy of the tapir is the tiger." 



FIG. 39. Malay Tapir (Acrocodia indica) 



In 1933 total protection was recommended by the Siam Society. 



In Cambodia Tapirs have almost completely disappeared at the 

 present time (Resident Superieur of Cambodia, in Hit., November 20, 

 1936). 



In southeastern Indo-China the species was still fairly common 

 15 years ago, but it is becoming rarer and rarer. It was believed to 

 have practically disappeared, when last year a report came from a 

 trustworthy source that two had been killed by native trappers in 

 the Hongquan district of eastern Cochin China. The species is 

 absolutely protected under the law. (Andre Kieffer, in Hit., Novem- 

 ber 21, 1936.) 



In the Malay Peninsula, according to Ridley (1895, pp. 161-162), 

 "This animal is still tolerably abundant in the further jungles of the 

 interior, and though rarer than the rhinoceros, is oftener to be seen 

 in captivity. . . . When taken young it becomes very tame and 



