528 HISTORY OF 



CHAP. XL 



THE TAPIR. 



Theke seems to be u rude, but an inferior resemblance be- 

 tween many animals of the old and the new world. The cougar 

 of America resembles the tiger in natural ferocity, though far in- 

 ferior in its dimensions. The llama bears some affinity to the 

 camel, but is far behind it in strength and utility. The tapir 

 may be considered as the hippopotamus of the new continent, 

 but degraded both as to its size and ferocity. 



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 pendant. 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 noise, it plunges into the stream. 

 They are greatly sought after by the natives, as their flesh is 



Bon's Bay, in North America. This animal has a strong- resemblance to 

 the common or European badgers, but is somewhat smaller, and the liair is 

 longer, more soft and silky ; the ears are short, and of a wliite colour, edged 

 with black ; the head is white, with a black line on each side running 

 from the forehead close to the inner corner of the eye, down to tlie nose ; 

 the hair on the back is four or five inches long, bright brown for the under 

 half, tlieu bright yellow, above that black, and white at the tips : the legs 

 are short, and of a dark brown colour ; having five claws behind, and only 

 four before, which are considerably longer and larger ; but the \\ant of the 

 fifth claw on the fore part, being described from a dried specimen, may 

 have been owing to accident. Its tail is covered with long dirty yellow 

 hairs, tipped with white, liaving the ends dusky ; the throat, breast, and 

 belly are white ; the fore feet have only four toes. It is uncertain wliether 

 this animal possesses the orifice under the tail. In each jaw there are six 

 fore teeth, one tusk on each side of each, and four grinders on ench side in 

 loth ; in all thirty-two. 



