ISO 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN. 



MALAY TAPIR: SADDLE-BACK TAPIR. 

 So called on account of the conspicuous area of white hair on the back and sides. 



the snake bit normally. The venom is pale yel- 

 low, and dries rapidly. It then forms into 

 coarse scales which look like amber. 



The Busllmaster inhabits tropical America. 

 It is the largest of the poisonous snakes of the 

 New World, and has enormously developed 

 poison-conducting fangs. R. L. D. 



THE .MALAY TAPIR. 



THE Elephant House was opened with the 

 Tapir Family well represented. To trans- 

 port a tapir all the way from Singapore to 

 New York and complete the voyage with the 

 animal in perfect condition, is a noteworthy 

 achievement. This was accomplished by Cap- 

 tain Percy Watson, of the Steamer "Muncaster 

 Castle," who brought us our first example of the 

 Malay or "Saddle-Back" Tapir. (Tapirus in- 

 dicus). When the "Muncaster Castle" was 

 coming through the Red Sea. a fire broke out in 

 her hold directly under the heavy tapir cage. 



which was fastened to the deck. The steel 

 deck-plates became very hot and after great dif- 

 ficulty the crate was moved to another spot fur- 

 ther forward. Soon after that the fire gained 

 in fury, the steel deck became white hot, then 

 caved in. Had not several cruisers been sighted 

 at that moment we would yet be looking for a 

 "Saddle-Hack" Tapir. Tons of water were 

 pumped into the vessel's hold from all sides and 

 the fire was conquered. 



About five species of Tapirs are known, only 

 one of which is found in the Old World. We 

 now have on exhibition in the Elephant House, 

 the two best-known species. The New World 

 representative is the South American Tapir. 

 (Tapirus terrestris). Of this species we have a 

 mother and young, the latter now so well grown 

 that it shows only very faintly the vivid strip- 

 ing that so strongly characterizes the young 

 when first born. The specimens of both species 

 are exhibited in cages at the eastern end of the 

 Elephant House. R. L. D. 



