I 1.6 T I-I E TAPIR. 



time, what has been faid concerning him by tra- 

 vellers, and hiftorians. The tapir ieems to be 

 a gloomy, melancholy animal *, He comes a- 



broad 



jufculas, quas verfus anteriora furrigit. Crura vix longiora 

 porcinis, et cralliufcula ; in anterioribus pedibus quatuor un- 

 gulas, in pofterioribus trcs ; media inter eas major eft in 

 omnibus pedibus ; in prioribus pedibus tribus, quarta par- 

 vula exterius eft adjuncla : Sunt autem ungulae nigricantes, 

 non folidae fed cavae, et quae detrahi poffunt. Caret cauda, et 

 ejus loco proceirum habet nudum pilis, conicum, parvum 

 more Cutian (Agouti.) Mas membrum genitale longe exfe- 

 rere poteft, inftar cercopitheci : Incedit dorfo incurvato ut 

 Capybara (Cabiai.) Cutem folidam habet inftar alcis, pilos bre- 

 ves. Color pilorum in junioribus eft umbrae lucidae, macu- 

 lis variegatus alhicantibus ut capreolus ; in adultis fufcus five 

 nigricans fine maculis. Animal interdiu dormi* in opacis fil- 

 vis latitans. Noclu aut mane egreditur pabuli caula. Op- 

 time poteft natare. Vefcitur gramine, arundine faccharifera, 

 braffica, &c. Caro ejus comeditur, fed ingrati faporis eft ; 



Marcgr. Hift. Brafil. p. 229. The tapir or May •pour i is an 



amphibious animal, being oftener in the water than on the 

 land, to which he reforts from time to time, in order to 

 browfe the more tender herbage. His hair is very fhort, and 

 interfoerfed with black and white bands, which extend from 

 the head to the tail. He makes a kind of hiffing or whittling 

 noife ; and feems to partake a little both of the mule and 

 the hog. We rind via ni pour is, as they are called by fome 

 people, in the river Ouyapok. His flefh is coarfe and ill 

 tafted ; Barrere, Hift. not. dc la France equin. p. 1 60. 



* Tapiierete, beftia iners et focors apparet, adeoque Iucji- 



« fuea ut in denfis mediterraneis filvis interdiu dormire amet : 



Ita ut, ft detur animal aliquod, quod noclu tantum nunquam 



vero de die venetur, haec fane eft Brafilienfis beftia, &c; Hift. 



nat. Brajil. p. ici. During the day, the antabrowfes 



herbage, and, in the night, he eats a kind of clay found i 11 

 the marlhes, to which he retires when the fun fets. — The 

 antas are hunted during the night, and it is not a difficult 



bufinefs. 



