195 
THE TAPIR. 
The tapir is generally considered by na- 
'-'ivalists as the largest land animal of South 
'America. In stature it is smaller than a very 
^ftiall ox. In the general figure of the head 
'‘tid body it resembles the hog ; but the upper 
is prolonged into a snout-like proboscis, 
pearly a foot in length, extremely moveable, 
which resides the organ of smell, as in the 
elephant, and which the animal extends to 
S^asp fruits and branches of trees. This spe- 
of trunk is parted at the end by the two 
Nostrils. The body is covered with hair of 
^ dirty brown colour, longer than that of the 
^orse or ass, but not so long or stiff as the 
^^g’s ; a mane very little longer than the rest 
the hair extending from the top of the 
^®ad to the shoulders. From the appearance 
