Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-01-22
The ROYAL BENGAL TIGER

wild animals DR. Fayrer, therefore, apoe Il,
10 many n aders when he puts forth q little
DOOM on the royal tiger, ferocious creature
likely 10 come under the notice OF the Prince
OF wales in the course OF dis expedition:
nence dissertation on the subject appesss
contains concise life history OF tn anImsi
and many interesting facts are Collector To-
eether In II, we shall make no farther apol-
os R son 90 S,s readers 10 the tiger
strength, beatty and ferocity, royal, (flgris
''S1S' /. very liking of cats"
-Ust people possess q good general idea OF
ened By seeing the animal at the zooIogf cal
gardens and the like. Were ii not that The
lion acquires q certain majestic dignity from
the presence Of name, the tiger would at
once be acknowledges as the head OF tn
feline family. As IL is, In India at least, In
strength, size, activity and beauty, he is far
superior to the lion, which is only found at
Clutch, aud is regarded by DR.. Fayrer as the
outlying and degenerate representative of
his African kinsman. The peculiarly striped
skin Of the tiger, and the intensity OF its
bright rufous ground hue, so exquisitely set
OFF with white about the head, serve well
enough as q superficial distinction; but Its
Tremendous canine teeth; the immense de.
head, and Its massive fore paws, as compared
with the hind feet, scientifically mark il off
from other cats. In much OF It's anatomy,
and especially in its habits, il is simply
huge cat, a monstrous and ferocious deyel-
opment of the sleek tabby that purs by the
hearth I'm every English cottage. The sharp
refractlle claws, the stealthy tread, the vision
adapted for activity either by day or by
night, the acute sense OF hearing and seeing
which II possesses, while that of smelling is
comparatively feeble-these points at once
show The kiDship; while its cruel nature and
the loud amatory growls which the traveller
encamped in the jungles frequently hears
during the night, as the tiger calls Its mates
irresistibly remind him of the cat torment,
ing the wretched mouse that has fallen into
Its clutches, and afterwards serenading its
brethren on the tiles In the darkness.
Being a shy, morose animal, the tiger is
usually found roaming about by himself;
but at certain seasons his mate is sure TO be
not far from him. His favorite food consists
OF the ordinary domestic cattle, which are
mostly in the plains of India weak and un-
derslzed creatures. When he cannot fnd
these, ne contents himself with the different
deer of India and wild hogs, occasionally
preylng on monkeys, pea-fOwls, and even
smaller animals. These are suddenly struck
down, mostly during the night, seized by the
throat and dragged of into some secure SPOT
In the eighbOring jungle, which is known as
his .kill." Here he eats what his appetite
requires at once, and then leaving the dead
carcass, retires To a smooth, tramplei-doyu
lair hard by Dust as hare lies in its
"form"), returning after a period OF sluggish
repose TO take another meal at the Kill. This
he repeats, says DIR. Fayrer. for several days,
until the odor arising from decOmpoS ition
and the hocks OF kites, yultures, crows aad
adtutant birds, wheeling over 1t, or sitting
sition TO all. Then he shifts his hunting
ground, especially If it be the rainy season;
but II IL be the summer heats, he does NOT
move lar from the paths OF long grass which
adJoin some pool or swamp, where he may
bask In the shade during the day, and prowl
by night round some nelshboring village, in
hope OF SECURING an OK. One WHO is well &C
qualnted with the tigers habits, however
informs Us that except in the very hottest
weather, when water is very scarce, a tiger
will not remain by its kill for more than
VT a va m Ia md.
his wont is TO drag the victim TO the neareS {
stream, remain all night devOuring 70, sleep
through the next day, aud in the following
night betake himself To fresh quarters. He
rarely travels less than fifteen miles, and of
ten twice that distance during the night,
The tiger Will easily consume a full-sized
three years old buffalo in the course of a
night, leaving nothing beyond his horns and
his hoofs, for his powerful teeth grind up III
bones. Dr. Fayrer quotes receut instance
OF the animals power aud ferocity: "a tiger
ata bound spraBg from an elevation right
among herd OF cattle, and in his spring
struck down simultaneously a cow with
each fore foot. Both were disablei-oae ne
Immediately killed, and began To devour,
whilst the other wretched creature lay with
Its back broken by the tigers terrible blow
within a few feet, watching the fate of his
If hard pressed for food, the tIgress will de-
sert her young, and even eat them. As for
the young tigers, they are far more destruc-
tive than the old, killing three or four COW S
at a time, for the mere pleasure of killing,
when they first set up in life for themselves;
whereas, an older tiger rarely kills more
than one victim at time, and this will last
him for period OF two or three days, or even
for week. Buffaloes have an instructive
knowledge OF the appros ch OF a tiger, and
exhibit rooted aversion to him, snoring and
trampliDg up aud down, and forming into q
circle TO receive his attack on their horns
Their herdsman often takes refuge in the
center OF this circle, and the tiger must con :
tent itself with weak outlying animal, or
fQrmllQhla An
tagOntsts.
Much difference OF statement exists as to
The size attained by tigers, partly owing 10
the fact, that the skin when removed is apt
to stretch. Thus. instances OFFICERS u feet,
and even few inches more, are on record.
DIR. Fayrer estimates the length of tigers
from the nose to the tip of the tail as ranging
from TO l2 feet, though he deems one of Id
feet by this measurement large specimen.
In hight OF the shoulder, the animal usually
stands three and halfto four feet. Jerdon,
IN his Mammals of India, says "the avera &c
size of full grown male tiger is Fl ON nj ne
TO nine and a halffeet in length; OCCASIONAL
tigers are killed 10 feet in length, and per-
maps few inches over; but the stories OF Ii
or IL feet in length, which are so often heard,
certainly require confirmation" A good
sportsman told him the largest he had killed
in The Dinagepore district, measured feet s
inches.
Most people have noticed the fondness of
stays for rubbing their antler's against trees
and scholars win recall Virgil's account OF
the bull practising with his horns upon a
tree before venturiDg upon a combat with
his rival; the tiger is similarly fond OF
scratching the bark OF trees, perhaps in order
to keep his terrible claws in servlceable con-
dition. Favorite trees in the jungles are
deeply scored by these weapons. The In
dian hg is especially chosen for this purpose,
and may often be found deeply and verti-
cally scratched from the height of ten or
twelve feet above the ground. We remem-
Der favorite cat thus utterly defacing the
nicely bound back of a quarLo in a library
shelf next TO the floor, SO remarkably does
this whetting habit run through this feline
family.
The usual way of dispatching tigers, how
ever, In the northwestern provinces is to
place bait for the creature, and then on
discovering its position to have 1t driven pas :
platforms erected in trees, from which IL
can be shot. There is much excitement and
not little spice OF danger In the sport, as
tiger has been known to leap into such q
machan, or platform, though il was luckily
untenanted al the time. A friend, learned
IN this mode OF shooting, Informs us thai
when tiger is suspected TO be I'm a district,
three year old buffalo is purchased and
tethered securely in path of the jungle.
Any smaller bait would be taken by a leon
ard, while the tiger would decline a bigger
buffalo. His lair is found by the natives next
morning, where he reposes by his Kill, hay-
Ing setiated his appetite. A council
is held, and the spOrtsmen are placed
In their machSQS, which are consfrp ~ "a