FELIS. ve 
adjoining the station of Seonee. I had got off an elephant, and, running 
up the glen on hearing the shots, came unpleasantly close to her in her 
dying throes. When about to bring forth, the tigress avoids the male, 
and hides her young from him. ‘The native shikaris say that the tiger 
kills the young ones if he findsthem. The mother is a most affectionate 
parent as a rule, and sometimes exhibits strange fits of jealousy at 
interference with her young. I heard an instance of this some years 
ago from my brother, Mr. H. B. Sterndale, who, as one of the 
Municipal Commissioners of Delhi, took a great interest in the 
collection of animals in the Queen’s Gardens there. Both tiger and 
leopard cubs had been born in the gardens, and the mother of the latter 
shewed no uneasiness at her offspring being handled by strangers as. 
they crept through the bars and strayed about ; but one day, a tiger cub 
having done the same, the tigress exhibited great restlessness, and, on 
the little one’s return, in a sudden accession of jealous fury she dashed 
her paw on it and killed it. I am indebted to Mr. Shillingford for a 
long list of tigresses with cubs killed during the years 1866 to 1880. 
Out of 53 cubs (18 mothers) 29 were males and 22 females, the sex of 
two cubs not being given. ‘This tends to prove that there are an equal 
number of each sex born—in fact here the advantage is on the side of 
the males. I have heard it asserted that tigresses are more common, 
and native shikaris account for it by saying that the male tiger kills the 
cubs of his own sex; but I have not seen anything to justify this. 
assertion, or the fact of there being a preponderance of females. Mr. 
Sanderson, however, writes: ‘Male and female cubs appear to be ia 
about equal proportions. How it is that amongst mature animals. 
tigresses predominate so markedly I am unable to say.” 
Tigresses have young at all seasons of the year, and they breed 
apparently only once in three years, which is about the time the cubs. 
remain with their mother. 
For the following interesting memorandum I have to thank Mr. 
Shillingford :— 
Feet. 
SeGtbssOne year old measure: —" 2) '% os Wel i.) a, Gana a e a 
Permremewrenivestts Old Wi 9/59 ah bal) aS ial) Cey® -Hijiakd Valet = icuites : ff cy 
Emenee VeatS Old co. fe ie ee its as eB 4 
2 2 
“When they reach three years of age they lose their ‘ milk’ canines,. 
which are repiaced by the permanent fangs, and at this period the 
mother leaves them to cater for themselves.” 
The cubs are interesting pets if taken from the mother very young. 
I have reared several, but only kept one for any length of time. I have 
given a full description of Zalim and his ways in ‘Seonee.’ He was 
