298 



ANIMALS OF 



the commanding, stern countenance of the 

 lion, but a gentle, placid air; yet, for all this, 

 it is fierce and savage beyond measure; nei- 

 ther correction can terrify it, nor indulgence 

 can tame. 



The chief and most observable distinction 

 in the tiger, and in which it differs from all 

 others of the mottled kind, is in the shape of 

 its colours, which run in streaks or bands in 

 the same direction as his ribs, from the back 

 down to the belly. The leopard, the panther, 

 and the ounce, are all partly covered like this 

 animal, but with this difference, that their co- 

 lours are broken in spots all over the body ; 

 whereas, in the tiger they stretch lengthwise, 

 and there is scarce a round spot to be found 

 on his skin. Besides this, there are other 

 observable distinctions : the tiger is much 

 larger, and often found bigger than even the 

 lion himself; it is much slenderer also in pro- 

 portion to its size ; its legs shorter, and its 

 neck and body longer. In short, of all other 

 animals, it most resembles the cat in shape; 

 and, if we conceive the latter magnified to a 

 very great degree, we shall have a tolerable 

 idea of the former. 



In classing carnivorous animals, we may 

 place the lion foremost; 1 and immediately 

 after him follows the tiger, which seems to par- 

 take of all the noxious qualities of the lion, 

 without sharing any of his good ones. To 

 pride, courage, and strength, the lion joins 

 greatness, clemency, and generosity : but the 

 tiger is fierce without provocation, and cruel 

 without necessity. The lion seldom ravages 

 except when excited by hunger ; the tiger, on 

 the contrary, though glutted with slaughter, 

 is not satisfied, still continues the carnage, 

 and seems to have its courage only inflamed 

 by not finding resistance. In falling in among 

 a flock or a herd, it gives no quarter, but le- 

 vels all with indiscriminate cruelty, and scarce 

 finds time to appease its appetite while intent 

 upon satisfying the malignity of its nature. 

 It thus becomes the scourge of the country 

 where it is found ; it fears neither the threats 

 nor the opposition of mankind ; the beasts, 

 both wild and tame, fall equally a sacrifice to 

 its insatiable fury ; the young elephant and 



* The remainder of this description is taken from Mr. 

 Buffori, except where marked with commas. 



the rhinoceros become equally its prey, and 

 it not unfrequently ventures to attack even the 

 lion himself. 



Happily for the rest of nature, that this ani- 

 mal is not common, and that the species is 

 chiefly confined to the warmest provinces of 

 the east. The tiger is found in Malabar, in 

 Siam, in Bengal, and in all the countries which 

 are inhabited by the elephant or the rhinoce- 

 ros. Some even pretend that it has a friend- 

 ship for, and often accompanies the latter, in 

 order to devour its excrements, which serve 

 it as a purge. Be this as it will, there is no 

 doubt but that they are often seen together at 

 the sides of lakes and rivers ; where they are 

 probably both compelled to go by the thirst 

 which, in that torrid climate, they must very 

 often endure. It is likely enough also that 

 they seldom make war upon each other, the 

 rhinoceros being a peaceable animal, and the 

 tiger knowing its strength too well to venture 

 the engagement. It is still more likely that 

 the tiger finds this a very convenient situation, 

 since it can there surprise a greater number of 

 animals which are compelled thither from the 

 same motives. In fact, it is generally known 

 to lurk near such places where it has an op- 

 portunity of choosing its prey, or rather of 

 multiplying its massacres. When it has kil- 

 led one, it often goes to destroy others, swal- 

 lowing their blood down at large draughts, 

 and seeming rather glutted than satiated with 

 its abundance. 



However, when it has killed a large animal, 

 such as a horse or a buffalo, it immediately 

 begins to devour it on the spot, fearing to be 

 disturbed. In order to feast at his ease, it 

 carries off its prey to the forest, dragging it 

 along with such ease, that the swiftness of its 

 motion seems scarce retarded by the enor- 

 mous load it sustains. From this alone, we 

 may judge of its strength ; but to have a more 

 just idea of this particular, let us stop a mo- 

 ment to consider the dimensions of this most 

 formidable creature. Some travellers have 

 compared it for size to a horse, and others to 

 a buffalo, while others have contented them- 

 selves with saying, that it is much larger than 

 a lion. We have recent accounts of this ani- 

 mal's magnitude that deserve the utmost con- 

 fidence. Mr. Buffbn has been assured by one 

 of his friends, that he saw a tiger in the East 



