THE RACOON 227 



before her, did the same four or five yards off, upon 

 which he got up, and, commencing to eat, had soon 

 finished a hind leg, retiring a few yards on one side as 

 soon as he had done so. The lioness came up next and 

 tore the carcass to shreds, bolting huge mouthfuls, but 

 not objecting to the whelps eating as much as they could 

 find." Every one who has heard it is deeply impressed 

 with the lion's wonderful voice when he emits loud, deep- 

 toned roars in quick succession, which get louder and 

 louder, and are then succeeded by muffled sounds like 

 distant thunder. 



The tiger is an Asiatic animal exclusively, and ranges, 

 in suitable situations, from the Atnoor to the Island of 

 Bali, and from Turkish Georgia to the Island of Sag- 

 halin, but does not exist in Ceylon. In spite of the great 

 destruction of tigers in India, they still live, according to 

 Mr. Blanford, wherever large tracts of forests and grass- 

 jungle exist, and they are specially common in the forests 

 at the base of the Himalaya. Tigers at least occasionally 

 accompany the tigress and her cubs, for these animals, 

 like lions, are monogamous. The young remain with the 

 mothers until nearly or quite full grown. By day the 

 tiger takes up its abode in deep shade, especially in the 

 hot season, and generally near water. They swim well 

 and will even cross arms of the sea, but very rarely ascend 

 trees. Tigers spring much less than is popularly sup- 

 posed, and rarely move both their hind legs off the ground. 

 They roar a good deal less than lions do, although their 

 call is very similar. Mr. Blanford says : " When hit by 

 a bullet a tiger generally roars, but tigresses, generally, 

 or at all events very often, do not. I have on three occa- 

 sions at least known a tigress receive a mortal wound and 

 pass on without making a sound." The ordinary food of 

 tigers consists of pigs, deer, antelopes, and, strange to 



