[Illustration: INDIAN TAPIR.]
The American Tapir is of about the size of a small Donkey. Its skin is
of a brown color and nearly naked, its tail of moderate length, its neck
strong and muscular, and crested above with an upright mane. This animal
inhabits swampy localities in the vicinity of rivers, and is peculiar to
the tropical parts of South America, where its flesh is prized by the
inhabitants as affording excellent and wholesome meat.
The Tapir is a solitary animal, resting during the day in the depths of
the forest, and coming forth at night to collect its food, which
consists of fruit, the young shoots of trees, or other vegetables. Its
senses of smell and hearing are very acute and at the slightest alarm it
can make its way with ease “through bush and through briar,” without the
slightest danger of injuring its thick, tough hide. It swims and dives
well, and can remain for some minutes beneath the water without coming
to the surface. The Tapir is peaceable unless attacked, in which case it
defends itself vigorously with its strong teeth.
Tapirs, although common in the Brazilian forests, are scarcely ever
encountered by hunters during the day-time, so that there is little
chance of travelers seeing anything more than the foot-marks of this
largest of the tropical American Mammals. Their flesh is of a very rich
flavor, something between pork and beef. The young are speckled with
white.
The Indian Tapir is larger than the South American Tapir, which it
resembles in the shape of its body. Its hair is short and it has no
mane. It inhabits the forests of the Island of Sumatra and the Peninsula
of Malacca.