The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-10-10

with every act, either mechanical or purely
mental. Man can do nothing he has not learn
ed to do. Inherited faculty aceelerates acqui-
sition; individual capacity limits its extent and
use. This is the case with oil animals, and the
difference between them. so far as intellect is
concerned, is one of degree and not Of kind.
Tigers are not machines moved by instinct;
they are animals with well-developed brains
and with correspondingly evolved minds, which
act similarly but with far less scope than our
own. Pre-eminontly beast of prey, the tigers
splendid powers are predominantly developed
in the direction of destruction; but being OK
ceedingly astute, he soon learns to discriminate
between savage with bow and hunter with
breechloading rifle. The latter he usually
avoids, the former are eaten as opportunity,
habit and appetite prompt. What he has learn
ed is transmitted to his offspring, who add their
quota of organized experience, and retransmit
the sum, until, in the course of time, tigers
come TO differ according TO locality, both in
their behavior toward human beings and in
such other particulars as the course of life may
have involved.
ALL ANIMALS, INCLUDING MAN, FEAR THE
UNUSUAL.
There is always an element of terror in what
is strange and unexpected, and this rises in in
tensity with the mental caliber of the creature.
Something akin to the feelings ongondcred by
impressions of the supernatural probably per-
vades the tigers mind with vague antlcipa-
tion of doom, when he comes in contact with
the combinations and devices of men. Expo-
rence, both individual and hereditary, has ac-
quaintod him with the fact that NIL his powers
are unavaling when pitted against the appll-
ances of human invention, and the consequence
is that in those places where war has been waged
against his race, and where they have sue
cumbed in the conflict, man is dreaded; not
from brute instinct, but on account of an in
tellgent appreciation of his might. Other
wise, the literature of this subject unmistaka-
bly, points to different conclusion from that
which appears to DO so carefully cherished
Solitary, illy-armed and unprepared men have
no more terrible foe than the tiger. lie soon
learns that they arc the easiest Of all creatures
to kill, and the slaughter he makes is IN many
places frightful. 1t is by no means always tho
case that man eater is feeble and supcranu-
ated beast, who can no longer catch game. lilo
is frequently young and vigorous tiger, whose
cunning, daring, ferocity aud determination
cannot be overdrawn, even in those poor ro-
manccs of hunting which to tho detriment OF
any true acquaintance with natural history, are
scattered broadcast over the land. One oil the
greatest naturalists who ever lived tWaliaco) OBJ
serves in his F." Geographical Distribution OF AMI
mails that ave have made little approach to
discovering the epoch when Felidg Tor the cat
kind originated, since the oldest forms yet dis
resentatives OF a group which is itself the most
specialized of the carniyora." This means that
during datcless ages a class of animals of
which the lion and tiger are the largest living
specmens-has existed, which from the first,
present themselves fully equipped for murder
on a great scale and that. in virtue of their
conformation and habits Of lie erything be-
longing to them which could
CONTRIBUTE TO SUCCESSFUL ACTS OF DE-
err
has been organized in their entire mental and
physical constitution. Remembering this we
can readily appreciate the value Of Sandcrson's
opinion that if tiger cubs be taken very young,
before they have had any experience of jungle
life, they may be readily domcsticated--th Is
be brought up TO become something else than
tigers. IL required thousands of milleniums to
make the tiger what he is, but he can be- un-
made Immediately Natures works are not to
be done away with in this way, or, indeed. in
any other manner. The changes which man
initiates are limited by har laws and the sooner
10 is discovered what these laws are the sooner
will man rid himself Of variety of misconcep-
tions that Mt present rcfract and distort his
reason.
When the tiger takes up his abode among rs
permanently IL Is hoped that some additional
knowledge Of what he really is may be gained.
That beautiful but terrible beast is we'll worth
study, and few persons can sec him without an
excitement of the imagination that brings moro
or less wildly to mind the features of his dis
taDt home, the strange and different life Of
those lands, aud the adventures in bis pursuit
of which we have read. Everything connected
with him tends not only 10 revive recollection,
but 10 awaken feelings which assure us of our
own savage dcsccnt-feelings which come down
10 III from a time when our predecessors were
all hunters, and the hunting propensity was
developed in accordance with the requirements
Of life. IL must be an exceptional individual
who can. In fancy, watch by night with Lover
son in the great Wynaad forest, occupy tho
howdah with Baldwin or Dawson, when the
trumpcting elephant indicates the tigers pres
ence, or listen with Hornaday in darkness to
his deep and mcnacing voice come floating
down the wind, without some of tho deepest
seated elements OF his nature being moved
This is only an outline sketch, bat IL may
serve To show on what points our knowledge OF
the tiger In imperfect. There is no more hope
less state Of mind than that in which "a man
supposcs bimseif 10 be- fully eonversAnt with
subject about which he really knows nothing.
Among the essential conditions for tho Rcquisi.
ton Of knowledge Is appreciation OF those
matters concerning which W. are ignorant. If
this communication availa to show certain ten
denotes TO error In observation 10 mark the
more prominent misiudgnents which are duo
TO preconception and 10 excite some interest in
natural history il will have fully answered the
purpose for which IL was intended.
ITO be continued