174 ANECDOTES OF ANIMALS. 



beasts had always been conspicuous, from a distance 

 of about a dozen yards fired at the lion over the per- 

 son of the prostrate warrior. The lion merely quivered, 

 his head dropped upon the ground, and in an instant 

 he lay dead on his side, close to his intended victim. 



TIGERS. 



THE Tiger is exclusively an Asiatic animal, and liia 

 range extends not only over the more southern part of 

 that continent, but to the larger islands of the Archi- 

 pelago, where he is particularly destructive. He is 

 as tall as the lion, but not quite so powerful. He is, 

 however, more agile, more graceful, and more insidious. 

 He crouches and mostly springs in the same manner as 

 the lion and other feline animals ; he is more ferocious, 

 and will even fight with the lion. He seems to delight 

 in blood itself ; for he will kill several victims, suck 

 their blood, and leave their carcases to be devoured at 

 another opportunity. 



The colour of the tiger is a bright orange tawny, 

 white underneath, and broad black stripes on the back, 

 sides, and tail. His head is rounder than that of the 

 lion, and he takes the most enormous leaps. He is to 

 be tamed to a certain extent, but never trusted. He 

 prowls both night and day, and in some places the de- 

 vastation he has caused is terrific. Nothing can exceed 

 the tragic tales which are told of him in the countries 

 where he exists in numbers ; and in one part of India 

 it is said that at least three hundred lives were taken 

 every year within a district containing seven villages, 

 independent of an enormous number of sheep, goats, 



