The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1882-08-03
Notes on the Tiger.

The Burmese declare there are two
varieties of tiger, those OF the plains being
much larger than those found in the hills
The latter have shorter tail, and are said
to be more active and vicious. But as nc
two tigers, whether shot on the plains O,
in the hills, are identically alike, varieties
might be multiplied ad libitasm. Tigers
which live in the hills have far harder
work to keep their larder supplied than
a pampered tiger of the plains, who takes
up his abode near q large village and
slaughters as many bullocks or cows as
he pleases. and increases in size until he
becomes monster, while the former re-
mains small and lean. The largest tiger
! was. sever at the death of measured as
he lay ten feet one inch, when pegged
out thirteen feet four inches. I noted
the measurements at the time, and it was
laughable how, after the lapse of time,
the dimensions of this animal varied ac-
cording to the memory Of the individual
relating the circumstances. With some
he was twelve and a half feet long, with
others thirteen and half feet, with others
ten and half feet, as he lay dead. 1t
shows how necessary it is to record in
black and white at the time exact meas
urements, otherwise ones memory is apt
to prove treacherous. We thus hear of
tigers of fabulous sizes. 1 myself be-
lieve ten feet eight inches-perhaps ten
feet six inches-to be the utmost length
OF a tiger, living or dead. Mr.. Camp
bell, Deputy Commissioner of Dubri,
who has killed and seen killed a great
many tigers, never saw one of more
than ten feet four inches. 1t is a dis
puted point how tiger strikes down
its prey, and, although have lived in
and roamed in jungles for the greater
part of my life, and have had two ponies
killed, never saw an animal struck
down, though / have come upon the
qulvering carcase not yet cold. Opinions
differ. Williamson says, g The tigers
fore-paw is the invariable engine Of de-
struction. Most persons imagine that if
tiger were deprived of its claws and
teeth he would be rendered harmless.
but this is a great error. The weight of
the limb is the real cause of mischief, for
the taions are rarely extended when a
tiger seizes. The operation is similar to
that OF hammer; the tiger raises his
paw, and brings it down with such force
as not only to stun a common-sized bull
lock or buffalo, but even crushing the
bones of the skull. | have seen MANY
men and deer that had been killed by
tigers, in most of which no mark of a
claw could be seen; and when scratches
did appear they were obviously the effect
of chance, from the claw sliding down.
ward, and not from design" johnson
is OF a contrary opinion, for he SAYS:
During residence of nine years in
Chittra / never saw man or animal
killed by a tiger that had not the mark
OF talons, yet admit that the force with
which tiger generally strikes is suffi-
cient in itself, without the aid of his
claws, to kill men or large animals, and
| believe that it occasionally takes place
in the manner have described, but new
er from its weight, like the fall of a ham,
mer." OF mytwo ponies, the first was
seized in the stable by the throat and
the wind-pipe, and also saw bullock
thus treated at Papicondah, on the Co
davery. Mysecond pony was killed by
grip of the upper part of the neck by
which the jugular was severed, and,
though the tiger was driven off, the pony
bled to death. London Field.