THE CLOUDED TIGER 57 



every collection of any size, and the binturong 

 or bear-cat is repeatedly offered for sale. The 

 clouded tiger is one of these remarkable beasts, yet 

 one would suppose that the reverse would have 

 been the case when the difficulty of obtaining it is 

 carefully considered. To begin with, it inhabits 

 dense jungles carpeted with a thick and wellnigh 

 impenetrable undergrowth, and swarming in the 

 rains with bloodthirsty leeches, which drive away 

 even the beasts of the forest. Secondly, it is 

 inconspicuous among the trees from its marbled 

 coloration. Thirdly, it is thoroughly arboreal — hence 

 difficult to trap or snare ; for the object of the 

 trapper is, of course, not to shoot but to captu^^e his 

 quarry. Again, it may not stir till dark intensifies 

 the gloom of the forest, barely illumined by the glow 

 of the fungi which batten on the rotten wood. All 

 these adverse combinations considered, it is indeed 

 remarkable that quite a number of F. vebtilosa have 

 at various times been brought alive to Europe. 



The first example received at the London Zoo 

 (the old Museum catalogue notwithstanding) was 

 purchased on May i6th, 1854. It came from India, 

 and was figured by the well-known animal painter, 

 Joseph Wolf, in his series of animal drawings for the 

 Zoological Society; the new addition is represented 

 as reclining on a branch with head raised, as if 

 scenting danger, while the tail curves tensely 

 forwards under the bough. The same individual 



