File:The American Museum journal (c1900-(1918)) (17973603550).jpg

Title: The American Museum journal
Identifier: americanmuseumjo15amer (find matches)
Year: c1900-(1918) (c190s)
Authors: American Museum of Natural History
Subjects: Natural history
Publisher: New York : American Museum of Natural History
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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UNDER the native appellation of Tlacaxolotl, Hernandez gives an account of the tapir, its characters being fused, however, with those of another mammalian species. Jonston, in his Natural History of the Fourfooted Beasts (1678) has a chapter on "Certaine Outlandish Creatures of a doubtfuU kind," wherein are included an English rendering of Hernandez on the tapir, and also one taken from Nierem- berg and Lery, under the caption of the "Danta", or "Cappa." The former version reads in part as follows: "Of the Tlacaxolotr " Having through Gods grace finished the History of the Fourfooted Beasts, as many sorts as are, as yet knowen, I thought good to adde this appendix about forreigne doubtful! Creatures, which I am yet thinking to what head, or kind to referre. As first: The Tlacaxolotl, it is roundish-faced, bigger then a Bull, great-headed, long muzzle, broad eares, cruell teeth, faced almost like a man, whence it hath the name: the neck thick, the nails Uke the Bulls, but larger: the but- tocks great, and broad, tayl thick and long; skin thick, hair yellow- ish, and bristly. It is seldome found, living among stones, and in desolate places The flesh is eate- able. It fears not the face of man; Arrows cannot pearce the hide; therefore they catch them in pit- falls, and holes covered with leaves, as the Indians doe Elephants." "Of the Danta, or Cappa" The Danta, or Capa, or Tapi- roussu, or Doueanar, resembles the Mule, having such ears, a Calves lips; the upper-lips hangs a hand- 1 Concluded from the last issue of the Journal. full over the lower, which he lifts up, when angred, in the rest like other beast, but a Calf most; he hath no harme....He is reddi.sh- haired, and that hanging down, and resembles a Cow in bulk, and shape. But that he is not horned, and hath a short neck, and long dan- gling ears; by his dry, and slender legs, whole hoof, a man may take him to be of the breed of the Cow, or Asse, yet differs much from both, having a very short tail, (though in America many beasts are bred, without tails) and hath much keener teeth, yet none need feare him, he trusting more in flight, then fight. The wilds shoot them, or catch them in pits, or grins, and have handsome devices to hunt them. They value him highly for his skin, which they cut round, and lay a sumiing to make targets as big as a reasonable tun, which they use in warre, as being hardly to be pearced. For his descriptions of the opossum the compiler whom we have just quoted draws upon Marcgrav (1648), and this author figures and describes two species. The same animal is also shown, together with the peccary, agouti and rare three- banded armadillo in Cesar de Roche- fort's work (1658) on the natural history
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Peruvian llamas. One of the earliest flgiires of the Ameri- can camel found m printed books, although there are much older designs of the animal in maps and native works of art. (From the Antwerp edition of Cieza de Leon, 1558). 417

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