THE TAPIR. 
198 
The woods and rivers of South America^ 
from the isthmus of Darien to |the river of 
Amazons, are the favourite resort of the tapii'^ 
and it selects the most umbrageous places oo 
their banks for its retreat. It is a solitary 
animal, sleeps during the day, and goes oul 
at night in quest of food. Like the hip' 
popotamus, it greedily seeks grass, sugal' 
cane, gourds, and water-melons, and doo® 
great mischief in the country over which i*'* 
nightly incursions are made. It resembles tb® 
hippopotamus also in its timidity, and in tab' 
ing when disturbed to the water, swimming 
about with great ease, plunging to the bottoiU' 
and walking about there without inconvenienco- 
Mild and inoffensive, it runs away at the ap' 
proach of any kind of danger, and avoids 
hostilities with other animals. 
The Indians of Brazil make bucklers of tb® 
skin of the tapir, which, when dried, is 
thick and hard, and will effectually resist 
