HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



55 



infe^ls, lizards, and pullet's blood. It is cafily tamed, 

 and entertaining with its play, but perfidious like the 

 fquirrel, and apt to bite its mailer. 



The Danta^ or Anta^ or Beori^ or Tapir^ as it is dif- 

 ferently named in different countries, is the largefl qua- 

 druped of the kingdom of Mexico (k)^ and approaches 

 moft to the fea-horfe, not however in fize, but in fome 

 of its fliapes and qualities. The danta is about the fize 

 of a middling mule. Its body is a little arched like that 

 of a hog, its head grofs and long with an appendage to 

 the fkin of the upper lip, which it extends or contrails 

 at pleafure; its eyes are fmall, its ears little and round, 

 its legs fliorr, its fore feet have four nails, the hind feet 

 three, its tail ftiort and pyramidical, its Ikin pretty thick, 

 and covered with thick hair, which at an advanced age is 

 brown ; its fet of teeth, which are compofed of twenty 

 maxillary, and as many incifors, is fo ftrong and fliarp, 

 and it makes fuch terrible bites with them that it has 

 been feen, according to the teftimony of Oviedo the hif- 

 torian, and an eye-vi^itnefs, to tear off at one bite two or 

 three handbreadths of ikin from a hound, and at ano- 

 ther a whole leg and thigh. Its flefli is eatable (^/), and 

 its ikin valuable, from its being fo flout as to refifl not 

 only arrows, but even muilcet-balls. This quadruped 

 inhabits the folitary woods of warm countries near to 

 fome river or lake, as it lives not lefs in the water than 

 on the land. 



All 



(i) The Danta is mucK lefs than the Tlacaxolotl dcfcribed by Hernandez ; 

 but we do not know of this great quadruped ever having been in the kingdom of 

 Mexico. The fame may be faid of the flags of New Mexico, and of the Ci- 

 bolle, or Bifonte, which are alfo larger than the Danta. See our IVth Differ-! 

 tation. 



{Ij Oviedo fays, that the legs of the Danta are pretty good and rehlhing food, 

 provided they remain twenty-four hours continually at the fire. 



