158 THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD 
partly, it is believed, that they 
may encase themselves with it 
as a protection against the an- 
noyance of flies. They feed 
on shoots of trees, bushes, 
leaves, and fallen fruits, forag- 
ing during the evening, and 
possibly far into the night. 
Tapirs are hunted by the 
natives for the sake of their 
thick hides, which are cut into 
thongs for reins and bridles. 
The flesh also is esteemed 
by some. There are three 
methods of capture. In South 
TSE ae es America the lasso is used with 
Sc a Ret eS ito : 
Photo by Yor! & Son] [Notting Hi occasional success. But when 
MALAY BN TP eR not foiled by undergrowth, 
The largest of all the tapirs. Is easily distinguished from the American tapirs by the patch of the hunter often loses his 
white on the middle of its body iat ‘ 
victim by reason of the vio- 
lence and force of its rush, which snaps the thong. The Gauchos intercept it with dogs on its way 
to the water, when it will fight furiously, and many dogs may be killed before its dispatch is accom- 
plished. Others imitate its peculiar, shrill call, and shoot it on its approach in answer thereto. 
Captives are easily tamed, and may be seen walking about the streets in many South American 
towns. They wander into the forest by day, returning in the evening to be fed, and are said to 
display great affection. On account of their great strength, it has been suggested that such cap- 
tives should be used as beasts of burden. 
Except the Marayan Tapir, which is black and white, tapirs are black or dark brown in 
colour, and but scantily clothed with hair; but the young, it is interesting to note, are spotted and 
striped with white or fawn-coiour on a dark ground, a coloration recalling that of the wild pig. 
There are five different species of tapir. Their geographical distribution is remarkable, four 
species being South American, and one belonging to the Malayan region. But far back in the 
world’s history, as we know from fossils, tapirs roamed over the warm and temperate regions of 
Europe, and their remains have been found in China and the United States. Thus the interve- 
ning gaps existing to-day have been made by the extinction of these intermediate species. 
By nature the tapir appears to be a harmless and inoffensive animal, flying even before the 
smallest dog. Occasionally, however, it displays great courage and ferocity, and this appears to 
be especially the case with females deprived of their young. At such times they will charge with 
great spirit, and knock down, trample on, and bite their victim after the fashion of wild swine. 
Man alone excepted, the most deadly foe of the AMERICAN Tapir is the jaguar, as is the tiger of 
the Malay species. The American tapir often gets rid of the jaguar by rushing at full speed into 
the dense jungle, thus sweeping its assailant from its back, the jaguar’s claws finding but an 
insecure hold on its victim’s thick hide. Tapirs are often found bearing scars all over the ack, 
witnessing the terrible nature of the wounds received at such times. 
That the tapir is a comparatively unknown animal is partly accounted for by the fact that it 
is but little sought after by the big-game hunter—who finds more excitement in pursuit of its 
larger relative the rhinoceros—and partly, perhaps, owing to its inhabiting regions comparatively 
little visited by Europeans. Nevertheless, the tapir is an animal of quite peculiar interest, having 
undergone but little change during long ages, whilst its ally the horse has effected in the same 
time a complete transformation, not only in its general shape, but more especially in its teeth and 
