CHAPTER II.

PERISSODACTYLA--THE TAPIR AND RHINOCEROS FAMILIES.

Introductory Remarks on the Tapirs--Foot--Anatomical Features--Skull--Compared with that of Hog--Skull of Asiatic Tapir--Proboscis--Dentition--Species of Tapir--THE AMERICAN TAPIR--Habits--Colour--Modes of Hunting--Docility--THE HAIRY TAPIR--THE MALAYAN TAPIR--FOSSIL TAPIRS--THE RHINOCEROSES--General Characteristics--Is it the Reèm of the Bible?--Ludicrous Ideas respecting it--At Rome--First Rhinoceroses in Europe--Skeleton--Skull--Horns--Curious Dental Law--Fore and Hind Limbs--Dentition--AFRICAN RHINOCEROSES--“WHITE” RHINOCEROS--OSWELL’S RHINOCEROS--BLACK RHINOCEROS--KEITLOA--RHINOCEROS BICORNIS MINOR--Hunting--Sir Samuel Baker’s Extraordinary Chase--Gordon Cumming’s Account of the Characteristics and Habits of the Black and White South African Rhinoceroses--Rhinoceros Birds--THE ASIATIC RHINOCEROSES--Connection between Dentition and Horns--THE INDIAN RHINOCEROS--An Inveterate Enemy of the Elephant--THE JAVAN RHINOCEROS--THE SUMATRAN RHINOCEROS--THE HAIRY-EARED RHINOCEROS--How a Specimen, “Begum,” was Captured--THE FOSSIL RHINOCEROSES--The Extinct Families Palæotheridæ and Macraucheniadæ 317