Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-11-04
atlistellaneons Rradiug.
LION AND TIGER.
Facts About Two Most Interesting Of
All Wild Animals.

lION ANU llSCh.
Facts About Two Most Interesting of
All Wild Animals.
Perhaps more has been written in
the past on the life and habits of the
African lion and Asiatic tiger than of
any other quadrupeds; but we know
that one of the chief attractions to
the study of natural history, if not
the greatest inducement of all to the
young student to take up this charm
ing subject, is that it is never-end-
ing, that there is always something
further to be learned, even in the life
of some little bird or the common
est cf wild creatures, if we will only
give them our attention and observe
their every little way.
But to return to our subject. We
have recently been reading yet an
other fascinating book by one Of our
greatest sportmen and best authori-
ties on large game, the well-known
author Mr.. F. c. Selous, entitled
"African Nature Notes and Reminis-
cences." In addition to relating
many highly irteres ing hunting ex-
periences our authC gives us the his
tory and chief characteristics of the
most important wild animals inhabi-
ting southern Africa. Naturally his
remarks on the lion attract our chief
attention. and among Mr.. Selous's OBJ
servations on this grand creature we
find much that is entirely new to
us. and therefore all the more enter
tanning While perusing these de-
lightful pages we have here and there
come upon passages giving details of
certain traits of character in the life
of the lion which. though excep-
tional. appear to differ from the hab-
its of the tiger and we will now ven-
ture to point out few of these in
stances which we hope will interest
our readers.
First and foremost we would allude
to the roar of the lion. All eXpe-
rienced travellers and sportsmen who
have passed through or hunted parts
of Africa inhabited by lions tell us OF
the roaring of these animals: that on
a still night the sound can be heard
miles away across the veldt: that when
close at hand the very air appears to
vibrate with the splendid voice from
the king of the wilderness.
Tigers never roar in this man.
ner: in fact, so far as am
aware. it is exceptional for the tiger
to roar at ALL When cornered by
line Of elephants, or stung to fury by
an ill-aimed bullet, when driven for
ward by beater men, he sometimes
comes charging out, bent on taking
revenge He utters a roar of rage,
followed by a succession of murder.
Gus coughing growls evide r.ly in
tended to intirlidate his adversaries.
But this short roar Of fury is alto
gether different in character from the
deep-toned, nerve-shaking voice OF
the lion. Although the tiger never
utters the prolonged, resounding roars
of the lion, yet. as is only natural,
the animal makes use Of certain calls
and cries when roaming abroad dur
ing the night time. One of the most
common that I am acquainted with Is
made by the creature when going his
rounds after shutdown, and has been
aptly termed the might moan OF the
tiger. l have repeatedly heard this
deep-toned plant when out In
camp near to the foot or among the
lower ranges of the Himalayas. 1t
is always difficult to describe In
words the cries and calls of bears and
birds: but this particular sound made
by the tiger when on the prowl after
dark cannot be we'll termed a "call,
much less a "cry," and has no re-
semblance whatever to a roar, but Is
more like the grumble of a discon-
tented wild beast. 1t consists OF a
single long-drawn note, beginning in
a low key, gradually increasing In
volume, and abruptly terminating In
a deep grunt, sounding somewhat like
distant thunder. This weird moan,
sometimes almost a sigh, Is, 1 be-
lieve-though I may be wrong-the
voice Of a male tiger in search of his
mate. I have been told that when
he utters this grunting whine the
animal holds his head close to the
ground. Whether this be so or not
am unable to say, but certainly at
times the sound seemed to rise from
the earth.
One thing I feel sure Of, and that
is the creature is always on the move
when uttering this night moan, and
following probably some path or
track through the forest or jungle,
never in the open, and it is invaria-
bly, uttered at well-measured inter-
walls. / have frequently stood in the
open and listened attentively when a
tiger has been on the move and MAX
ing this sound. Now the muttered
grunt would appear to- be ''over the
hill and far away" then suddenly
deep-mouthed and near at hand,
when no doubt the animal crossed
high ground; again more remote and
subdued as the creature descended
into a ravine, till gradually the voice
of the night disturber died away and
was lost in the distance.
On the very first grumbling note
of the tiger the jungle. just before
still. became alive again with alarm
notes from the inhabitants Of the
forest, uttering warning cries to one
another to beware of their common
enemy. The deep bark of the sam
bur resounds from the opposite hill;
the shorter. more startling soy" cry