194 



CARNIVORA. 



The tigress gives birth to two or three cubs, choosing some sheltered 

 spot for her home. During the first weeks of their existence she never 

 leaves them ex'cept when hunger compels ; as soon as they are larger she 

 takes them abroad, and then is doubly dangerous and destructive ; noth- 

 ing, however, can exceed her care and loving-kindness for her offspring 

 while they are at the breast. 



Tigers, like lions, have been often tamed ; we have all seen circus per- 

 formers enter the cages where they are confined, but in all cases great 

 caution must be exercised in dealing with a creature so treacherous. In 

 the East they have been used for the purposes of the chase. " The Khan 

 of Tartary," writes Marco Polo, "keeps in his city of Cambolu many lions 

 greater than those of Babylon, having beautiful hair and beautiful colors, 

 namely, white, black and red stripes, which he uses to catch wild boars, 

 bears, deers, and other beasts." Some of the Indian fakirs have been 

 seen accompanied by a tiger which followed them like a dog ; they are 

 careful to give their favorite no animal food, but feed them on boiled rice 

 and butter. 



The Indian princes usually keep tigers for their wild beast fights. A 

 fight in Siam is thus described : " Three elephants, whose heads were 

 defended by a species of armor, were brought into the arena ; the tiger 

 was there already, held by two ropes ; at the sight of the elephants he 

 tried to escape and crouched down, but received two or three blows 

 from their trunks, which knocked him over. He was then let go ; with 

 a terrible roar he sprang at the elephant's head, but it received him on 

 its tusks and flung him high into the air. The tiger fled and tried to 

 clamber over the paling of the circus ; failing in his attempt, he laid down 

 and let the elephants beat him with their trunks till the fight was put a 

 stop to." 



When he wants to fight, however, the tiger shows vigor and courage 

 enough. One menagerie was the scene of a deadly combat between a 

 lion and a tiger. The two creatures had been put into one large cage 

 or box, which was divided by a partition in the centre, so as to separate 

 the two animals. While the attendants were at their breakfast the tiger 

 battered down the too frail barrier, and leaping into the lion's chamber, 

 entered into fierce combat. Not even the keepers dared interfere to 

 stop the battle, which raged until it was terminated by the slaughter 

 of the lion. The poor beast never had a chance from the beginning, 

 for it was weakened by three years' captivity, and had lost the switt 



