On fossil and prehistoric remains of Tapirus from Java, Sumatra and China

The tapir is an extremely rare element in the fossil Mammalian fauna of Java. In the enormous collection of fossil teeth and bones brought together in this island by Eug. Dubois in the years 1890 to 1900, the tapir is represented only by six teeth, originating from three localities in the Kendeng Mts., viz., Kedoeng Broeboes, Kedoeng Loemboe, and Kebon Doeren. Previous to his researches in Java, Dubois collected teeth in a number of caves in the Padang Highlands. In this Sumatran collection Tapirus is not uncommon. We possess one hundred and twenty complete, and a still larger number of broken teeth. Half of this collection originates from three caves, viz., the Lida Ajer cave near Pajakombo, the Sibrambang cave, and the Djamboe cave near Tapisello. The exact localities of the other teeth unfortunately are not recorded; besides those given above in the reports of Dubois's paleontological researches in W. Sumatra (Anonymus, 18891890) mention is made of the following caves: Sampit cave near Pajakombo; Caves in the Ngalau Seriboe Mts., between Boea and Sidjoendjoeng; Pandjang cave (no. 1) = Kepala Sawah Liat cave, near Sibalin; Mansioe cave, in the Andjing Mt., near the Sinamar river; Batang Pagian cave, near Boea; Moeka Moeka cave, near Moeara; Bandar cave = Batang Siparok cave, in the Andjing Mt.; Boelan cave, near Sibalin; Lebawah cave, near Lisawah; Pandjang cave (no. 2) near Sisawak; Caves on the western shore of lake Singkarah, near Paningahan.