7(iS MR. \V. N. PARKER ON THE INDIAN TAPIR. [DeC. 19, 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE LVII. 



Fig. 1. Chrysso nh'ipk-fus, p. 7(i4. 1 a. Eyes. 

 12. cordiformis, p. 7<>3. 



3. Mcta splotdida, p. 765. 3 a. Ejes. 3 h. Male palpus. 



4. ThoronckUa aurata, p. 766. 4 «. Eyes. 4 h. Var. argentala, in profile. 

 .5. Gastcracaniha cowani, p. 7Q6. o«. Eyes. 



6. UMiorus velutinits, p. 767. 6 «. Eyes. 6 i. Profile. 



7. Thwaitcsia fulclwrrima, p. 764. 7 «. Eyes. 7 i. Pi-ofile. 



11. On some Points in the Anatomy of the Indian Tapir 

 {Tapir us indie us) . By W.Newton Parker, Lecturer 

 on Biology at the University College of Wales, 

 Aberystwyth. 



[ReceiTed December 9, 1882.] 

 (Plates LVIIL, LIX.) 



While acting as Prosector to the Society during; Mr. Forbes's 

 absence in "W. Africa, I have had the opportunity of dissecting a 

 young male Indian Tapir, a few points in the anatomy of which I 

 now lay before the Society. 



The animal, which only arrived at the Gardens in July last, was 

 probably about eighteen months old when it was unfortunately found 

 necessary to kill it, on October 9th, on account of its suffering from 

 an incurable prolapsus ant. It measured about four feet from the tip 

 of the nose to the tip of the tail, and had not grown percejjtibly since 

 its arrival in this country. 



On opening the body the lungs were found to be much diseased, 

 and presented considerable adherence to the thoracic cavity ; the 

 liver was also very soft. There were decided traces of rickets, the 

 sternal ribs having several nodular enlargements. 



The general anatomy of the Indian Tapir has been described by 

 Home \ Cantor ^, Poelman ^ and Murie *. Some points, however, 

 have not received much attention ; and in others there seems to be a 

 considerable amount of variation. I therefore trust that the fol- 

 lowing account of certain of the organs will not be without interest. 



The Alimetitarij Canal. — The hard palate presented the usual 

 double row of transverse ridges, of which there were seventeen on 

 the left side and eighteen on the right. The naso-palatine canals 

 open on each side of a small elevation about |- inch from the pos- 

 terior border of the middle incisors. The soft palate embraces the 

 base of the epiglottis, much as in the Horse. 



The tongue has a pointed apex, and increases slightly in breadth 

 from before backwards. It measured 8 inches in length and 2| 

 inches in breadth at the base. Its upper surface is covered by 

 dehcate filiform papillae. Fungiform papillae are also numerous, and 



1 Phil. Trans. 1821, p. 272. 



2 Journ. i^siat. Soc vol. xv. 1846, p. 263. 



^ Mem. de I'Aead. Roy. de Belgique, toiii. xxvii. 1853. 

 * Jouvn. Anat. and Physiol, vol. vi. 1871. p. 131. 



