16 A HISTORY OF 



the bo'toui of her hole, for the reception of her young. She brings 

 forth PJ summer, generally to the number of three or four, which she 

 feeds at first with her milk, and afterwards with such petty prey as 

 she can surprise. She seizes the young rabbits in their warren, robs 

 birds' nests, finds out where the wild bees have hud up their honey, 

 ind brings all to her expecting biood. 



The young ones, when taken, are easily tamed, but the old still 

 continue savage and incorrigible ; the former, after a short time, play 

 with the dogs, follow their masters about the house, but seem of all 

 other animais the most fond of (he fire. They often approach it so 

 dosely that they burn themselves in a dangerous manner. They are 

 sometimes also subject to the mange, and have a gland under their 

 <ail which scents pretty strongly. The poor of some countries eat 

 *heir flesh, which, though fat, is at best but rank and ill tasted. 



CHAPTER XI. 



THE TAPIR. 



THERE seems* to be a rude, but inferior resemblance between many 

 animals of the old and the new world. The cougar of America re 

 sembles the tiger in natural ferocity, though far inferior in its dimen- 

 sions. The lama bears some affinity to the camel, but is far behind it 

 in strength and utility. The tapir may be considered as the hippopo- 

 tamus of the new continent, but degraded both as to its size and fe- 

 rocity. 



This animal bears some distant resemblance in its form to a mule. 

 It has a long snout, which it lengthens or contracts at pleasure. Its 

 ears are small, long, and pendent. Its neck and tail are short, and its 

 claws strong and firm, of which it has four upon each foot. Its skin 

 is thick, and covered with brown hair ; and the natives make shields 

 of it, which cannot be pierced by an arrow. 



This animal may, in some measure, be termed amphibious, as it 

 chiefly resides in the water. It differs, however, from all others of 

 this kind, in feeding entirely upon vegetables, and not making this 

 element the place of its depredations. It feeds upon the pastures by 

 the river-side, and as it is very timorous, the instant it hears the least 



* The Tapir has ten front teeth in both jaws; the canine teeth are single in each jaw, 



nd are bent inwards ; there are five very broad grinders on each side in both jaws ; the 



nave three hoofs; but on the fore-feet is an additional false or supplementary hoof. 



;neral altitude, when at rest, is sitting on its rump. It sleeps much by day, and when 



d by dogs, makes a vigorous resistance. Its voice is a kind of whistle, so easily 



ned, that m this manner it is frequently trepanned. It produces but one young a a 



'irUi, of which it is very careful, leading it early in the water, to instruct it in swimming. 



finrn gteganou *' feed * b ? ni S ht " vegetables, and does not ruminate, as Mr. B^jon af 



