320 



NATURAL HISTORY. 



upper edges of the ears, and naked line at the bottom of the hoofs, are snowy white. The scanty hair 

 of the body is very short, and is hardly to be distinguished at a comparatively short distance. 



The skin, which is of great density beneath, is described by M. Roulin to be not less than seven 

 lines thick on the back ; and he says that in the days when rifles were not brought to their present 

 pitch of perfection a ball from one of them would scarcely make an impression. 



On the back of the neck there is a thick rounded crest, which extends from the forehead, as low 

 as the level of the eyes, to the shoulders, and beset with a comparatively thin mane of stiff blackish 

 bristles. 



The American Tapir is hunted for its excessively tough hide, and also for its flesh, which, although 

 described by Europeans as unsavoury, being coarse and dry, is considered palatable by the Indians. 

 It is captured sometimes, although not often, by means of the lasso, an instrument so successful 

 in Horse-catching in America, but often futile as regards the Tapir, for its usual haunts render 

 this mode of capture most difficult, and its determined rush and immense strength frequently enable 

 it to break the strongest lasso. Another way of hunting the Tapir practised by the native 

 hunters is to find out the animal's track leading to the water ; there, with their Dogs, they patiently 

 lie in wait until evening approaches, when the Tapir comes out for the purpose of taking his evening 

 stroll and indulging in the indispensable bath. They then get between him and the water, when a 

 desperate encounter ensues, the Dogs often getting very badly injured. 



The most successful manner of catching the Tapir, however, is by means of imitating its whistle 

 or call, thus bringing the animal within range of the Indian's poisoned arrow. 



The American Tapir is spoken of as being mild in captivity and easily domesticated, and 

 tame Tapirs are permitted to run at large in the streets of the towns of Guiana, and often wander 



MALAYAN TAPIR. 



