TAPIRS. 



earth by human agency, but the others have mostly a very 

 restricted geographical range. 



The Tapirs. The Tapirs form a family of Perissodactyla [Lower 

 Family Tapiridae remar kable at the present day for their anomalous q^Sotj^ 

 geographical distribution, one species (Tapirus Case 36.] 

 indicus, 991) inhabiting the Malay countries, whereas the other 

 four are confined to Central and South America. The clue to this 

 peculiarity is afforded by extinct species, remains of which occur in 

 the Tertiary rocks of Europe, China, and North America. From 

 other living members of the suborder, Tapirs are distinguished 

 by having four front-toes ; the hind-feet, as in the Rhinoceroses, 

 terminating in three digits. The nose is prolonged into a short 

 proboscis, and the molar teeth of both jaws are low-crowned, and 

 carry simple transverse crests, united in the upper ones by an 

 outer wall. The number of teeth is 42, or only two below the 

 full typical complement. The heavy forui of the body, the small 

 size of the eyes, and the shortness of the tail, are shown in the 

 specimens exhibited. In the typical members of the genus, like 

 the Malay T. indicus (991) and the Am. rican T. terrestris (992), 

 the nasal region of the skull is of normal structure ; but in two 

 of the American species [Tapirus bairdi, 993, and T. dowi) a 

 bony partition divides the cavity of the nose into two divisions. 

 These two species are in consequence separated generically, or 

 subgenerically, as Tapirula. The young of all are spotted and 

 striped. 



Tapirs are dwellers in dense forest, where water is abundant. 

 In this they swim, and even dive, while they also enjoy wallowing 

 in mud, and in the deep forest wander about during the day, 

 generally alone. Although usually slow in their movements, when 

 frightened they make violent rushes. Their food consists of 

 leaves, twigs, and fruits. 



Rhinoceroses. Rhinoceroses are the largest and bulkiest of [Lower 

 Family Rhinocerotiete. the existing Perissodactyla; and although 



now confined to Africa and the Indo-Malay Cases 

 countries, in past epochs ranged over the greater part of Europe 3 ^ * j?j 

 and North America. Their most distinctive feature is the presence 



