The Tapir. 123 



THE TAPIR. (Tapinis americanus.) 



THIS animal bears considerable resemblance to the wild 

 boar, but is without tusks, and has its snout prolonged 

 into a small fleshy proboscis, or trunk. This trunk, 

 however, has not the flexibility of that of the elephant, 

 and is incapable of holding anything. The colour of the 

 Tapir is of a deep brown, and the male has a small 

 mane on the upper part of his neck. It stands about 

 three feet and a half high, and measures nearly six feet 

 in length. It lies in thickets, the thorny branches 

 of which cannot affect it from the thickness of its skin, 

 while they lacerate the skins of its pursuers. Its 

 favourite food is the water-melon. It is generally found 

 alone, and always roams in search of food at night ; 

 and it is easily tamed if taken young. It possesses the 

 same power of remaining under water as the hippo- 

 potamus, and when it enters a pond, can descend to the 

 bottom, and remain there five or six minutes. 



The Malayan Tapir ( T. malayanus), is very similar to 

 the American species in form ; but is larger and has no 

 mane. It is very remarkable for the distribution of its 

 colours, the anterior part and the legs being deep black, 

 and the rump, back, and sides, white. This animal is 

 found chiefly in Sumatra and Borneo. 



