_ Dec. 14, 1882 | 
NALORL 
151 
remarkable change had taken place, or the details had 
not been properly made out on the previous morning— 
the head had become brighter, narrower, and longer, 
with a decided nucleus, situated a little less than half way 
from the following end; further examination showed a 
break in the line of light forming the head, a compara- 
tively dark space splitting it in two, the nucleus being on 
the border of this space, while a brightening of the head 
near the other side of this space gave an appearance 
of another nucleus. The sketch for this date shows the 
position of these brighter parts or nuclei, and the space 
between. 
A careful measurement at 17h. 41m. gives the pos. angle 
of the line of light forming head as 115° 5’. The distance 
of the nuclei was 11"°5, and the width of the head 1c”. 
On November 1, 17h. 18m., the pos. angle of head was 
117° 5’, the breadth of the head 11”, and the length 100’, 
the general appearance being as that given for October 
30, excepting that on this morning a brightening is re- 
corded as observed at the extremity of the /o//owzng part 
of the head, giving a tri-nuclear appearance. Subsequent 
observations made at intervals (on November 5, 8, 9, 10, 
and 17) show little deviation from the last sketch. Par- 
ticular attention has not since been given to eye-observa- 
tions, as the 3-foot has been used on these dates for pho- 
tography (with doubtful advantage). The brightness of 
this comet is, as far as can be judged from a comparison 
of similar exposures, about the same as the great comet 
of 1881. One minute gives an image faint, but certain, 
about 25 minutes’ exposure gives an intense image of the 
head and a trace of the tail; but the result is not at 
present worth the great trouble it causes. One of the 
November 9 plates shows the dark space in the head, and 
this is all that can be said for it ; longer exposures with- 
out a proper means of following the motion of the comet 
give only a trail. This however I propose to get over by 
having motions adapted to the plate-holder and an eye- 
piece attached to the holder for the purpose of running a 
second image of the comet, taken out of the cone of rays 
from the speculum by another diagonal mirror properly 
placed for the purpose. A. AINSLIE COMMON 
Ealing, December 4 
IN a ciear sky at 4.50 a.m. November 26, not a vestige 
of the comet was to be seen by the naked eye, though its 
position was known exactly. On applying a telescope to 
the spot the nucleus appeared as a round nebula, with 
four small stars near it; as for the comet’s tail, I presume 
it was “left behind,” for no trace of it could be discerned, 
except by tie eyes of the imagination. This is singularly 
corroborative of the statement that has appeared in these 
columns, viz. that the moonlight obscures the comet, 
although it seems to be doubted. ; 
Oxford, December 5 FRANK STAPLETON 
ILLUSTRATIONS OF NEW OR RARE ANIMALS 
IN THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY’S LIVING 
COLLECTION 1 
X. 
26. HE MALAYAN TAPIR (Zapiris indicus).—In 
the present condition of zoological life on the 
world’s surface there is no better instance of discontinuous 
distribution than that of the Tapirs. While Tropical 
America contains several species of Zwpzvus, and may be 
regarded as the focus of the genus, a single well-marked 
species—not, however, sufficiently distinct, even in the 
eyes of those most fond of inventing new names, for 
generic separation—occurs in Tropical Asia. This is the 
Malayan or Indian Tapir, Zafirus indicus (sive malay- 
anus) of systematists. 
The discovery of this Tapir in Sumatra, where it was 
first met with, though claimed by Cuvier for French natu- 
7 Continued from vol. xxvi. p, 606. 
ralists, is undoubtedly due to those of our own country. 
Marsden described the animal in his work on Sumatra as 
long ago as 1785, and Raffles obtained a knowledge of it 
in 1805. In 1818 a living example, captured near Ben- 
coolen, was sent to the menagerie at Barrackpore, and 
was the subject of a drawing, forwarded: to Cuvier by 
Diard and Duvaneel, which first made the great French 
philosopher acquainted with the existence of this animal. 
The first example of the Malayan Tapir sent to Europe 
likewise came to this country. It was received in Sep- 
tember, 1820, from Sir Stamford Raffles, and was the 
subject of an excellent memoir by the great surgeon and 
anatomist, Sir Everard Home, which was published in 
the Philosophical Transactions for 1821. 
The Zoological Society of London acquired their first 
living specimen of this animal by purchase of Capt. 
Miland in September, 1840. This example died on April 
17 in the following year. Although one or two specimens 
of the Indian Tapir passed through this country at sub- 
sequent intervals, it was not until the present year that 
the Society succeeded in obtaining possession of a second 
specimen. This was a young individual of the male sex, 
from which our illustration (Fig. 26) was taken by Mr. 
Smit in August last. It will be observed that although 
the large white area which covers the hinder quarters 
like a sheet, and renders the Indian Tapir so readily dis- 
tinguishable from all its American brethren, is easily 
distinguishable in this drawing, the stripes and spots, 
which prevail in the younger dress of all the Tapirs, are 
still quite distinct. These disappear altogether when the 
animal is quite adult, leaving the entire body, with excep- 
tion of the white back, of a glossy brownish black. The 
Indian ‘Tapir is further distinguishable from all the 
American species by the absence of the mane, and by the 
minute structure of the teeth. Unfortunately the Zoolo- 
gical Society’s second specimen did not live to exhibit its 
adult characters, but died in October last in consequence 
of a disease of the rectum, which seems often to afflict 
these animals in captivity. 
Besides Sumatra, where the Dutch naturalist, Salomon 
Muller, found it on the west coast up to a height of 2000 
feet above the sea-level, the Malayan Tapir inhabits the 
interior of Borneo and the Malay Peninsula. There is 
also good evidence that a Tapir of some sort is found in 
the south-western provinces of China, which is probably 
of the same species. 
In its native state the Indian Tapir is exclusively an 
inhabitant of the forest, keeping principally to the vicinity 
of the rivers and treading paths by following the same 
routes during its excursions from the banks in search of 
food. In captivity it becomes very tame and familiar. 
Dr. Cantor gives us the following account of a young 
female specimen which was captured in Keddah in 1845, 
and lived many months at his station in Malacca : — 
“From the first, although fresh from its native wilds, 
this young Tapir showed a remarkably gentle disposition. 
The daytime it spent in sleeping in a dark recess of the 
portico of my house, though it would rouse itself if 
noticed. Towards sunset it became lively, would bathe, 
feed, saunter abroad, and with its lengthened nose 
examine objects in the way. Within a few days after its 
arrival it commenced to exhibit a marked partiality to 
the society of man, not indeed to its keeper in particular, 
whom it scarcely had discrimination enough to distin- 
guish, but to anybody who happened to notice or caress 
it. Towards sunset it would follow a servant on the 
green infront of the house, and punctually imitate his 
movements, whether standing, walking, or running. If 
the man suddenly hid himself, the Tapir would hasten to 
the spot where it had lost sight of its keeper, look about 
in all directions, and if unsuccessful in discovering him, 
express its disappointment by a peculiar loud whistling. 
On the reappearance of the man, it expressed its pleasure 
1 Cf. Tomes in Proc. Zool. Soc., 1351, p. 121- 
