282 PICTURESQUE SKETCHES 



luxuriant and rank vegetation might then have pre- 

 vailed. 



The pachydermatous animals that chiefly attract 

 attention amongst the older tertiary quadrupeds are 

 those which have been named Palteotkerium and Ano- 

 plotherium. Besides these there are also many others 

 more or less nearly allied. Most of them exhibit 

 analogies with the horse, and connect the heavy pa- 

 chyderms, such as the elephant and tapir, with the 

 ruminants. They form a well-marked group, of which 

 the tapir is perhaps the best living representative ; and, 

 as all the knowledge that we possess, as well of the 

 structure as the habits of these creatures, must neces- 

 sarily be comparative, perhaps the best introduction 

 to the description of the extinct group will be an ac- 

 count of the less known peculiarities of the existing 

 type. 



The tapir occurs both in South America and in the 

 Indian islands, but the species are, as might be ex- 

 pected, quite distinct. The animal is about the size 

 of a small horse, but it has a short proboscis, and in its 

 general appearance might be considered intermediate 

 between the elephant and the pig. Its teeth are 

 somewhat like those of the rhinoceros, and are adapt- 

 ed for succulent vegetable food. Its skin is nearly 

 naked, like that of the elephant ; its habits are semi- 

 aquatic; and though quiet, it has not been domesti- 

 cated. It seems to pass a solitary existence, buried 

 in the depths of the forests, and never associating 

 with its fellows, but flying from society and avoiding 

 as much as possible the neighbourhood of man. It 

 rarely stirs abroad from its retreat during the day, 

 which it passes in a state of quiet lethargy, and seeks 



