52 VERTEBRATES: MAM.MALS. 



In former yeoloi,ncal times, the Rhinoceros hved in 

 Europe and northern Asia. It was adapted to a cold 

 climate b}- a thick coat of lony hair and wool. Its body 

 has been found preserved in the frozen soil of Siberia. 



Tapirs. 



The Tapirs are found in Central and South America 

 and in the Malay Islands. They are large, heavy 

 animals li\"iny in swamps and wet places, feeding on 

 \'egetation. They conceal themselves by day. They 

 are hunted ioi' the sake of their flesh and hides. 



Elephants, or Proboscidea. 



The Elephant is the largest land animal, being some- 

 times nearly ten feet in height and weighing over 

 8,000 pounds. The name of the group comes from the 

 proboscis, or trunk, which is the greatly elongated nose. 

 The head is \-ery large and the neck is short, so that 

 all food and water are obtained by the trunk. There 

 are fl\-e toes on each foot, although there are not so 

 many hoofs. The Asiatic Elephant has four hoofs on 

 each foot, while the African form has only three on 

 tlic hind feet. 



The tusks of the Elephant are its incisor teeth. Most 

 of the ivory of commerce comes from Africa, where 

 perhaps one hundred thousand Elephants are annualK- 

 killed for their i\-or)-. The tusks of the African Ele- 

 phant are much larger than those of the Asiatic, and 

 are borne by both males and females, \\-hile only the 

 male of the Asiatic Elephant has tusks. 



The Asiatic Elephant is further distinguished from 

 the African, by tlie fact that the forehead is concave 



