26 FELID^. 



Tribe, FELINA,-Tkue Cats. 



Tigris, Gray, P. Z. S. Wj7, p. 263; Oat. Mam. Br. Mas. p. 10. 



Of large size, striated. Tail long. Pupils round. Whiskers 

 spreading ; other characters same as those of the family. 



Tigris regalis, Gray, P. Z. S. 1867, p. 263; Felis tigris, Linn. 

 Jerdoii, Maruinals Ind. p. 92; Blanfordi East. Ptyrs. p. 34; Murray, 

 HdhJc, Zool., Sj'c, Siiid, p. 85. WagJi, Deccan ; Shehr, Hind ; Tagli, 

 Tibet; Babr, Persian; Sheenh, Sind. — The Tiger. 



Colour bright fawn, more or less tinged with rufous. A series of 

 transverse black bands or bars on the sides of the head, neck and 

 body, continued on the tail in the form of rings. Tip of tail black, 

 under parts white ; hair short, except on the sides of the head, where 

 it is about 4 inches long. Head large and round, ears short, and at a 

 great distance from each other. Cheeks with spreading whiskers. 

 Pupils round. Skull 14 — 15 inches long. 



Length — Variable, the average size of an adult male being from 

 9 to 9^ feet. Jerdon says that occasionally tigers ai-e killed 10 feet in 

 length, and perhaps an inch or two more — ^a statement borne out by 

 several persons in the controversy in the " Asian' ^ as to the length of 

 tigers. The height of the tiger is seldom above four feet; 3 '9 ft. being 

 the most common. 



Rab. — The Indian Peninsula, Malay Archipelago, and Central Asia. 

 In the Indian Peninsula it is found in Sind, the Concans and Deccan, 

 Guzerat, Rajpootana, Central and Southern India. Extends to Persia, 

 in the Caspian Provinces, Mazandarau and Ghelan lying north to the 

 Elburz mountains. These provinces, unlike the plateau of Persia, are 

 covered with dense forests, and in them, Mr. Blanford says, the tiger 

 ranges up to an elevation of 5,000 to 6,000 feet. China, Sumatra, 

 Chinese Tartary and the Altaic mountains are other parts where it is 

 found. Perrier (Caravan Journeys) speaks of tigers N. W. of Ilerat. 



In Sind, the tiger happily is not common. It is found in the 

 Khyrpoor State, but there are not many records of its causing 

 destruction. In Lower Sind nothing is heard of it. From Sukkur 

 upwards it is said to occasionally issue from its cover, which is the 

 dense fringe of Tamarisk bushes and long grass along the banks of the 

 river, visit the cultivated parts and carry away stray cattle. In 

 Southern India, according to Mr. Walter Elliot, and also in Central 

 India and Khandeish, tigers are the dread of the inhabitants, and 

 almost a scourge, especially in Khandeish in the Malligaum districts, 

 where they ai-e known to carry off inhabitants out of the villages 

 whilst sleeping in their verandahs during the night. The tiger seems 

 to have no other instinct but a constant thirst for blood, a blind fury, 

 which, as Burroughs says, knows no bounds or distinction, and often 

 stimulates him to devour his own young, and to tear the mother in 

 pieces for endeavouring to defend them. He generally lies in wait 

 on the banks of rivers, where animals repair for drink, and the bound 

 with which he throws himself on his prey is as wonderful in its extent 



