TAPIR (Sp. tapiro, from Tupi Brazilian tapyra, tapir). A tropical ungulate mammal of the family Tapiridie, allied to the horses and rhinoceroses. It has a bulky form, with mod erately long legs; the front feet four-toed, the hind feet three-toed; the skin thick, the hair short; the tail very small; the neck thick; the ears short: the eyes small; the muzzle elongated; the nose prolonged into a short. flexible pro boscis; 6 incisors, 2 canine teeth, and 14 molars in each jaw. The family includes only five liv ing species, with a very peculiar geographical distribution, as two species are found in South America, two in Central America, and one in the region. The best known is the tapir (Tapirus Aniericanus or tcrrestris), which is about the size of a donkey, and is common throughout the wooded parts of South America; east of the Andes. Its color is uniform deep brown, but the young (as is the ease with the other species) are beautifully marked with yel lowish fawn-colored stripes and spots. The skin of the neck forms a thick rounded crest on the nape, with a short mane of stiff hair. The tapir inhabits deep recesses of the forest, and delights in plunging and swimming in water. It feeds chiefly on young shoots of trees, fruits, and other vegetable substances, and sometimes commits great ravages in cultivated grounds. It is in offensive, never attacking man; but when hard pressed by dogs, shows great cunning, and if brought to bay. makes a violent resistance, and inflicts severe bites. It is Very easily tamed, and becomes extremely familiar, Its hide is useful, and its flesh is eaten.
The hairy tapir (Tapirus Ruulini) occurs only on high levels on the Andes, up to 7000 or 8000 feet. The skin is uniformly covered with hairs
an inch long. There are white marks on the head and the sides are bluish hazel instead of brown. The 'hog' tapirs of Central America (Tapirus Bairdi and Tapirus Dowi) are smaller than the other species, and differ from them in having the nasal septum ossified. They are brownish black above, dirty white on the throat and chest, and more or less rufous on the head.
The Alalayan tapir (Tapirus Indicug) is found in the Malay Peninsula, Java, Sumatra, and other large islands. It is larger than the Ameri can tapir, and its proboscis is rather longer in proportion. The neck has no mane. The color is glossy black, except the back, rump, and sides of the belly, which are white. The colors do not pass gradually one into the other, but the line of separation is marked, .giving the animal a very peculiar appearance. The habits of this species are not well known, but seem to be similar to those of the American tapir, and it is equally capable of domestication. The young are striped and spotted as in that species.
Fossil tapir-like forms are known from the Eoeene onward, and most of them have been placed in the family Lophiodontithe; hut many species are hardly separable from the modern family Consult: Beddard. Mammalia (London, ; Blanford, Fauna of British India; Mammals (ib., 1S75) ; Alston, "Mammals," in Biologia Centrali-Americana (ib., 1879-82) ; Ridley, arti cle in Natural Science, vol. vi. (ib., 1893) ; and general works. See Plate of TAPIRS AND HIPPO POTAMUS.