TAEIE* 
S64 
traction or dilation at the pleasure of the animal « 
its sides are furrowed in a singular manner. Only 
the male, however, it is said, is armed with this 
proboscis ; the snout of the female, it seems, is not 
prominent, nor her upper jaw prolonged beyond 
the lower. The extremities of both jaws are 
pointed ; each contains ten cutting teeth, and as 
many grinders. The ears aie erect, oval, and bor- 
dered with white. The eyes are small ; the back 
arched ; the legs short ; the tail bare, and of a 
yery diminutive size. The hair over the body is 
short, like that of a horse. A bristly mane, the 
hair of which is an inch and a half in length, runs 
along the neck. 
South America is the native country of the tapir. 
He inhabits along the eastern side of the Dutch, 
Fortugueze, and Spanish dominions in that part of 
America. He is one of the largest quadrupeds 
of the new world. Marshes, and solitary woods, 
bordering on some lake or river, are his favourite 
retreats. In the heat of the day he conceals him- 
self in the gloom of the forest, or under water ; for, 
like the hippopotamus, he is, in some measure, 
amphibious, swims well, or dives and walks at his 
ease on the bottom. If roused from the forest, he 
retreats for security to the water. At night he 
wanders abroad in search of food. He lives on 
gr^ss, sugar-canes, and fruits. His voice is a 
hissing whistling noise ; be is a salacious, slow, 
and sluggish animal. He is an object of pursuit 
to the Indian hunters. His skin often resists an 
arrow, or musket* ball ; and when liarrassed by 
dogs, he forgets his natural mildness, turns upon 
them, and often tears their skin, or mutilates their 
limbs. Yet his skin is sometimes penetrated by 
the poisoned arrows of the Indians ; and numbers 
pf dogs will overpower him, although a, part fail 
|u the attack * ' * 
