The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1886-07-30

11ngln inhabited ~ n kinds Of Wild
bea6h. Is, though In : less degree. con-
slant source Of danger, frequently end
ing IN death It has already been re-
marked that the tiger, Il left unmolest-
Cd. viii seldom interfere with man. but
moro often, when disturbed in
The daytime, will stink of with
. surly groM Of fear. This rule,
however, certainly does not hold
good with equal force after nightfall.
Then wild animals are on the prowl
after prey, and they seem to be per-
fectly aware Of the advantage they pos
sess over human being of . vision spe-
cially adapted by nature to penetrate the
pitchy darkness of the night Not only.
therefore, Is there . greater probability
OF travellers meeting with dangerous
animals when passing through the for
est after sunset, but the tiger and his
comrades Of the jungle are then holder
and more to be feared; and though the
tiger be coward at heart, yet, under
cover Of darkness, and perhaps pinched
with hunger, the sound of voices in the
dead stiffness Of the night, entices the
brute to approach the roadway; and q
string of defenceless natives, passing
within few yards of his lurking place,
still further awakens his evil instincts.
The temptation proves too great. and
with bound. he springs upon one of
the hapless travellers and carries of his
shrieking victim.
In the year 1883, no fewer than forty
seven thousand four hundred and
seventy-eight head Of cattle were
devoured by wild animals; and there
can be no doubt that the
tiger is extremely mischievous in this
respect, and in consequence lays very
severe tax on natives inhabiting vii
lagos bordering upon large forests, or
anywhere near to his stronghold. A
pair of royal tigers will probably kill
and devour from ten to twelve bullocks
of large size within q months time;
and tigress with two or three nearly
full-grown cubs is still more destructive.
The latter. not content with pulling
down cattle for food, will often, out Of
pure mischief. destroy two and three at
. time.
There are tigers which live almost en-
tirely on large game, such Is deer
wild pigs, seldom approaching villages
or the haunts Of man; but. unfortu-
nately, the great majority depend almost
entirely on cattle for food; and this is
not to be wondered 1t The ruminants
Of the forest are timid. restless crea-
lures, ever on the lookout against dan
ger, 30 that it happens constantly that.
in spite Of the crafty. noiseless approach
Of their striped enemy, he Is discovered
ere he can creep to within springihg
distance. The tiger, however, Is often
more successful when lying in wait
hard b. some pool of water in the
jungles After long hot day, towards
nightfall. deer, parched with thirst, are
often impatient to reach the precious
water, and incautiously approach with
out perceiving their hidden enemy.
But the tiger soon discovers that be can
provide himself with food with far less
trouble and exertion by preying on cattle.
Not only = stalking them easy when
the herd is grazing on tho outskirts of ]
which bound away almost Immediately |
on discovering their lurking enemy-a
herd Of cattle win stand spell-bound,
paralyzed with fear, their whole atten-
hon Fixed npon the striped marauder !!
groveling along the ground and rapidly |
approaching to within spRinging dis
trance. Then, when too lato to make |
their escape, tho foolish creatures turn
70 ny; but with bound, the tiger is |
upon them. and seixing victim In his |
befrible grip. brings it to the ground, |
md kills It with one wrench Of his pow |
srful java
The Asiatic lion, from certain char |
such - the almost total want |
of > name In the male, and its smaller |
Iize, was formerly held to be OF differ
snt species from the lion of Africa; but |
naturalists are now inclined to consider |
The two animals identical. Little is |
known Of the habits Of the Indian lion, |
md except il Clutch, Guxerat,
md ono or two other spots in the Bonn
1ay presidency, Il has become extremely /
ARE. 6portsmen who have met with |
md shot the animal. describe It q dam
yer0us whom wounded and followed M;
nut Ike the tiger, unless provoked. tie
indian lion almost invariably endeavors
. make OF on bsing disturbed. Nor
loee the animal appear to b neaxly 90 /
,old and daneerous Ser niohtfsIi :. =
he case With tho African lion. A
rouching lion IN long gran or bushes,
ven IN comparatively bare, open
round, u moro difficult to distinguish
han Tho tiger, On account Of the tawny
lide exactly matching tho color Of the
urroundinea
4 may b here mentioned that it d