AMERICAN TAPIR. 453 



is of a somewhat deep brown ; the limbs short and 

 thick; the feet very large, and rather rounded: 

 the fore feet have four toes, and the hind three ; 

 all the toes are covered with a hard, thick hoof, or 

 horn. Though the head is very large it contains 

 but a very small brain : the jaws are much elon- 

 gated, and furnished, in general, with forty teeth; 

 but sometimes there are more, and sometimes 

 fewer. The incisors are sharp-edged, and are the 

 teeth which vary as to number. After the in- 

 cisors we find a canine tooth on each side, both 

 above and below, v/hich have a good deal of 

 resemblance to those of a Boar : we then find a 

 small space or interval v/ithout teeth ; and then 

 follow the grinders, which are very large, with 

 Tcry broad surfaces. " 



On opening this animal," says M. Bajon, 



the first thing that struck me was, that it was a 

 ruminating animal. Though the feet and teeth 

 have no analogy with those of other ruminating 

 animals, yet the Tapir or Maipouris has three re- 

 ceptacles or stomachs, which are commonly full ; 

 and especially the first, which is filled like a bal- 

 loon. This stomach answers to the first stomach 

 of an Ox, but here the cancellated or honey-comb 

 part is not distinct, but the two parts form one 

 cavity : the second or next stomach is the plaited 

 or laminated one, which is also very considerable, 

 and much resembles that of an Ox ; Avith this dif- 

 ference, that the laminae or plaits are much small- 

 er, and the coats much thinner : lastly, the third 

 stomach is the least, and the thinnest, and hs^s 



V, II. p. II. 30 



