384 THE CARNIVORES 



made by the claws of tigers ; these markings not unfrequently extending to a height 

 of at least ten feet. 



The idea that tigers are in the general habit of springing appears to be a 

 popular delusion ; and, according to Mr. Blanford, it is but rarely that they move 

 their hind -legs from the ground, except when they have occasion to clear a fence or 

 other obstacle. When so inclined, they are undoubtedly able to spring to a consid- 

 erable height ; and an instance is on record of a tiger having, at a single spring, 

 pulled a native from a tree, at a distance of eighteen feet from the ground. Mr. 

 Sanderson gives fifteen feet as the maximum horizontal distance that a tiger can 

 spring. "The tiger's usual attack," writes Sir J. Fayrer, "is a rush, accom- 

 panied by a series of short deep growls or roars, in which he evidently thinks he 

 will do much by intimidation ; when he charges home he rises on the hind-feet, 

 seizes with the teeth and claws, and endeavors and often succeeds in pulling down 

 the object seized." The mention of the tiger's attack reminds us that, according to 

 Sir Samuel Baker, it is but comparatively rare .that one of these animals, when 

 suddenly and unexpectedly disturbed, will fly at a human being. "The truth is 

 that the tiger seldom attacks to actually kill, unless it is driven, or wounded in a 

 hunt. It will frequently charge with a short roar if suddenly disturbed, but it does 

 not intend to charge home, and a shout from a native will be sufficient to turn it 

 aside ; it will then dash forward and disappear, probably as glad to lose sight of the 

 man as he is at his escape from danger. ' ' 



In many of the foregoing traits of character the tiger resembles more or less 

 closely the lion ; but whereas the latter is an extremely noisy animal, the former 

 roars much less frequently. Mr. Blanford, who has especially called attention to 

 this difference in the habits of the two animals, observes that, where lions "are 

 common, scarcely an evening passes without their being repeatedly heard. I have 

 often been in places where tigers were equally abundant, but it is the exception for 

 their roaring to attract attention. Their usual call is very similar to that of the 

 lion a prolonged, moaning, thrilling sound, repeated twice or thrice, becoming 

 louder and quicker, and ending with three or four repetitions of the last portion of 

 it. Besides this, there is a peculiar loud ' woof ' produced when the animal is dis- 

 turbed or surprised, a growl that it utters when provoked, and the well-known 

 guttural sound of rage repeated two or three times when it charges. When hit by 

 a bullet a tiger generally roars, but tigresses, at all events, very often do not ; I 

 have on three occasions, at least, known a tigress receive a mortal wound and pass 

 on without making a sound." 



With regard to the breeding of tigers, it, appears that the number of cubs pro- 

 duced at a birth usually varies from two to five, although it is said that there are 

 occasional instances where the litter includes as many as six. As the result of his 

 long experience, Mr. Sanderson gives two as the usual number, three being much 

 rarer, and only two instances of four in a. litter having come under his personal ob- 

 servation. Mr. Blanford states, however, that he has on more than one occasion 

 seen four cubs. When there are but two, it appears that while one is a male the 

 other is a female; and this general equality in the sexes of a litter renders it diffi- 

 cult, as Mr. Sanderson remarks, to account for the large preponderance of adult 



