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NATURAL HISTORY. 



HEAD OF MALAYAN TAPIR, SHOWING MUSCLES OF 

 SHORT TRUNK AND FACE. (After Mlirie.) 



American, Cuvier observes that a glance at the profile of their respective crania is sufficient to 



impress upon the observer their specific differences. The forehead of the Indian Tapir is convex, 



and rises higher than the back of the head. It is accompanied, in its rise, by the nasal bones, 



an arrangement by which space is given for the comparatively large proboscis, and adding length 



to the furrows where the muscles are in- 

 serted. This organisation, according to 

 Cuvier, explains why the Indian Tapir has 

 a more powerful and more extensile trunk 

 than the American. There is also in the 

 former, on the base of the nasal bones, 

 at their junction with the frontal bones 

 and on each side, a deep fossa, or de- 

 pression, which does not exist in the other 

 species. This elevation of the forehead 

 is accompanied by a depression of the oc- 

 cipital crest, which, far from forming a 

 pyramid, as in the American species, rather 

 descends backwards. The aperture of the 

 bony nostrils, enlarged by the prolongation 



of the maxillary bones, terminates below and forwards by more elevated premaxillaries, which are 



fused (anchylosed) together in early youth, as in the American. 



In the upper jaw there are, in the adult Tapir, on each side three incisors, one canine, four pre- 



molars, and three molars. In 



the lower jaw, on each side, 



there are three incisors, one 



canine, three premolars, and 



three molars: altogether 



making forty - two teeth in 



number. 



Some peculiarities offer 



themselves with regard to the 



form of the teeth : for instance, 



the outer incisors above are 



very large and resemble ca- 

 nines, while those below are 



unusually small. The canines 



themselves are very small, 



having their crowns consider- 



ably shorter than their roots. TEETH QF MALAYAN TApm 



With regard to other 



portions of the skeleton nothing need be remarked, except that the bones of the extremities are 



exceedingly strong, and resemble in many respects those of the Rhinoceros. 



Three species of Tapirs are known, namely, American Tapir (Tapirus americanus), Roulin's Tapir 



(Tapir us villosus), and Asiatic Tapir (Tapirus malayanus). 



THE AMERICAN TAPIR.* Of the three foregoing species the best known is the American Tapir, 



which is found in almost all parts of South America from Buenos Ayres to Central America, and from 



the Andes to the Atlantic. In its habits it is nocturnal, spending the whole of the day-time in the cool 



shades of the densest forests, and coming forth to feed on the surrounding vegetation as evening 



approaches. It is a most powerful animal, and everything in the underwood of the forest gives way 



to its rush. It has the habit of making runs or roads through the brushwood, which beaten tracks 



are usually selected by travellers in passing through the forests. It is stated that it has a most keen 



americanus. 



