Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-12-02
Notes on the Tiger.

Ihe burmese declare there are two
varieties of tiger, those of the plains be-
ing much larger than those found in the
hills. The latter LavS shorter tail. and
are said to be more active and vivacious.
But as no two tigers, whether shot on
the plains or on the hills, are identically
alike, varieties might be multiplied ad
ibitum. Tigers which live in the hills
have far harder work to keep their larder
supplied than pampered tiger of the
plains, who takes up his abode near
large village and slaughters as many
bullocks or COWS as he pleases. and in
creases in size until he becomes mon
ster, while the former remains small and
lean. The largest tiger I was ever 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 according to the
memory of the individual relating the
circumstances. With some he was twelve
and half feet long, with others thir-
teen and half feet, with others ten and
half feet, as he lay dead. It shows how
necessary it is to record in black and
white at the time exact measurements,
otherwise ones memory is apt to prove
treacherous. We thus hear of tigers of
fabulous sizes. myself believe ten feet
eight inches-perhaps tenfeet six inches
to be the utmost length of tiger living
or dead. Mr.. Campbell, Deputy Com
missioner of Dubri, who has killed and
seen killed great many tigers, never
saw one more than ten feet four inches.
1t is disputed point how tiger strikes
down its prey, and although have
lived in and roamed jungles for the
greater part of my life, and have had
two ponies killed, I never say an animal
struck down, though have come upon
the qulverlng carcass not yet cold.
Opinions differ. Williamson says: "The
tigers fore-paw is the invariable engine
OF destruction. Most people imagine
that if tiger were deprived of Its claws
and teeth he would be rendered harm
less, but this is a great error. The
weight of the limb is the real cause of
mischief, for the talons are rarely ex-
tended when tiger seizes. The opera
ton Is similar to that of q hammer: the
tiger raises his paw, and brings it down
with such force as not only to stun a
common-sized bullock or buffalo, but
even crushing the bones of the skull.
1 have seen many men and deer 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
downward, and not from design" John
son is OF a contrary opinion, for he says:
"During a residence of nine years in
Chittra 1 never saw man or animal
killed by tiger that had not the mark
OF talons, yet admit that the force with
which tiger generally strikes is suf-
ficient of itself, without the aid of his
claws, to kill men or large animals, and
l believe that it occasionally takes place
In the manner 1 have described, but
never from its weight, like the fall of a
hammer" Of my two ponies. the first
was seized in the stable by the throat
and the windpipe severed, and 1 also
saw bullock thus treated at Papicon-
dab, on the Godayey. My second pony
was killed by grip Of the upper part of
the neck, by which the jugular was
severed, and, though the tiger was
driven of, the pony bled to DEATH
London Field.