202 ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS. 
Darien inhabited by the independent Indians, may be 
considered as its northern limit. Its highest range, in 
the province of Maraquita at least, appears to be from 
three thousand to three thousand six hundred feet 
above the level of the sea, while the new species disco- 
vered by M. Roulin is only met with at a much greater 
elevation. 
Throughout this wide extent of country the Tapir 
passes 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 its food only by night. With 
the exception of the Hog it seems to be the most truly 
omnivorous of the tribe of animals to which it belongs, 
for scarcely any thing comes amiss to its ravenous 
appetite. Its most common food is vegetable, and 
consists of wild fruits, buds, and shoots. D’Azara tells 
us that it is also extremely fond of the barréro or 
nitrous earth of Paraguay. But when pressed by 
hunger it swallows whatever comes in its way; and 
the stomachs of those which are killed in their native 
forests are commonly filled, according to M. Roulin, 
with pieces of wood, clay, small stones, and sometimes 
even bones. A specimen kept by D’Azara gnawed in 
pieces a silver snuff-box and swallowed its contents ; 
and some of those which have been confined in Mena- 
geries have been known, after a long fast, to devour 
the worst of all possible filth. In captivity, or when 
domesticated, it feeds almost indiscriminately on bread, 
cassava, herbs, roots, fish, and flesh, either raw or 
cooked; but it still retains its depraved appetite and 
swallows rags and dirt of all kinds if they are incau- 
tiously left within its reach. 
