204 
ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS. 
passage to the water, of which, like most animals of his 
tribe, he is particularly fond, constantly indulging in a 
bath as soon as he rouses himself for the business of 
the night, and wallowing at all times in the water with 
peculiar delight. The dogs are, however, frequently 
worsted, the Tapir defending himself with great courage, 
seizing his enemies with his teeth, and inflicting on 
them very severe wounds. When thus attacked he 
usually endeavours to gain the water, where, standing 
up to his breast, he defies the largest dogs : his assail- 
ants being compelled to swim are unable to bring into 
action their full agility and strength, while the Tapir, 
quietly watching their motions, seizes them successively 
as they advance, by the back of their necks, and shakes 
them off from him with the loss of large portions of 
their flesh. 
It would seem that these animals may be readily 
tamed, and even to a certain extent domesticated. All 
those which have been kept in Menageries have been 
perfectly quiet and good tempered ; and M. Sonnini 
assures us that numerous tame individuals are allowed 
to walk at liberty through the streets of Cayenne, to 
leave the town, and to go into the neighbouring woods, 
from which they return in the evening to the house 
where they are fed. They are fond, he says, of being 
noticed, recognise their master, follow him about, and 
give him various tokens of attachment. " It appears 
to me," adds M. Sonnini, " that with care and attention 
the Tapir might be made serviceable as a beast of 
burthen of great robustness ; its thick-set form and 
the high degree of strength with which it is endowed, 
would enable it to bear very heavy loads ; and the 
gentleness of its disposition raises a strong presumption 
that we should find united in it the two valuable quali- 
ties of docility and patience." 
