Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1916-04-06
Trapping The Tiger.

Strangely enough, the simplest animal
to catch alive is that fierce and ferocious
creature, the tiger, the strongest. bravest
and quickest OF all wild beasts. In tact,
says Prince Sarath Ghost, the author OF
"Wonders of the Jungle" the tiger is Of
ten caught with birdlime
The sap of the assad tree makes paste
more sticky than glue, and the natives tap
several trees and collect a large quantity
OF the sap. Also, there are many tropi-
cal trees that have tough and coarse
leaves about the size of mans hand /;
and the natives gather plenty OF those
leaves. Then they select tall tree in
the Jungle, the lowest bough OF which is
about fifteen teet from the ground. On
the bough they tie attempting bait, gener-
ally sheep or goat, freshly killed, so
that the blood may still be dripping.
Then they Strew the leaves thickly over
the ground for several yards round fhe
tree and pour the assad sap over the
leaves.
The tiger, prowling round for his din
ner, scents the blood and draws near.
He sees the bait on the bough, and jumps
for il. But the bait is out of his reach,
He steps back few yards, takes a run,
and jumps again. But still he cannot
reach the bait. The next time he goes
back several yards, takes longer run,
and leaps with all his strength.
A tiger can at run clear the bough Of
tree eleven or twelve feet high, but
cannot reach out with his paws or jaws
more than fifteen feet from the ground.
So now he just manages TO touch the
bough, but cannot get good grip on the
bait.
Now he begins to notice that some
thing is the matter with his paws; they
are covered all over with leaves, which
interfere with his attempts 10 seize the
bait. Then he tries TO get rid OF the leaves
by Wiping his paws on the ground. But
that only serves 10 catch up more leaves.
SO he tries TO wipe his paws on his body (;
that merely transfers the leaves to his
body, and as soon as he puts his paw
down on the ground again he picks up
more leaves. In this way the leaves be-
come stuck all over his body.
Now an intelligent animal like the ee-
phant would think it all out and come to
the conclusion that something was wrong
with his method. Not so the tiger. The
tiger never changes his habits. Because
he is accustomed TO wipe his paw on the
ground or on his own body, he cannot
think of anything else TO do. Also, it
never occurs TO him TO walk away from
the tree before wiping his paws.
AT last, gettig quite impatient, he oe-
gins TO wipe his paw on his cheeks-as
every cat creature does. Then real
trouble begins. The leaves accumulate
on his cheeks and the sap gets into his
eyes. That causes intense pain and
temporary blindness. Maddened with
the pain, the stupid tiger lies down and
rolls over and over on the ground, as
cats always do. That is the last piece Of
folly. Covered from head TO foot with
leaves and glue, the tiger leaps about
frantcally, and soon dashes his head
against the tree. Then the willy natives
rush from their hiding place, throw net
over the helpless tiger and carry him off.
They put him into cage, the floor OF
which is covered thick with sand, and LET
him wipe himself clean by rolling in the
sand. Later they throw buckets OF wa
ter over him and scrub him with brushes
attached 10 long poles. Then he is clean
enough 10 come 10 Bronx Park.