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Family 2: Rhinoceroses (Nasicornia). 



These "antediluvian" creatures are confined to the tropical swamps 

 and forests of Asia and Africa. In adaptation to an existence passed 

 in swamps and marshes, their feet carry several (three) toes. (Compare 

 with pig.) By means of the rigid, powerful body and pillar-shaped legs, 

 they can force their way through the most intricate jungle. (Compare 

 with elephant.) They are protected even against the most formidable 

 thorns by a horny, cutaneous armour, thick as a board, and consisting of 

 several plates separated by folds of skin. In spite of this armour, how- 

 ever, the rhinoceros is not hindered in its movements, for the plates are 

 easily shifted, and in the folds the skin is soft and thin (acting as joints 



INDIAN RHINOCEROS. (The animal depicted in the foreground about one-fiftieth natural size.) 



of the armour). The upper lip is elongated and finger-shaped, and with 

 it the animal tears off branches from the trees and pushes them into 

 its gigantic mouth. Its great weapons of defence are the horns carried 

 upon the nose ; of these the Indian Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros indie us) 

 possesses one, the African Rhinoceros (Rh. africanus) two. 



Family 3 : Tapirs (Tapirina) . 



These are likewise survivals of a long-past age, " living fossils," and 

 have some resemblance to swine. The tapirs (Tapirus) occur now only 

 in a few species in the tropical forests of South America and Southern 

 Asia, and are inhabitants of swamps and river-beds. Accordingly they 



