MAMMALS. ,;s7 



out that the cat's claws were sharp, and so when robbing tabby of her 

 dinner, he adopted different tactics from those used when stealing from 

 the monkeys. The latter he fought face to face; but when after the eats 

 dinner, he ruffed up his fur, and pushed himself backwards up to the cat, 

 who, much disturbed at this, would give him a dab with her claws. Alas 

 for her! the blow always cost her her dinner; for the suricate, reaching 

 his nose through under his body and between his hind legs, seized the 

 morsel, while the cat's attention was directed to the blow which fell com- 

 paratively harmless on the ruffled fur. This animal, like its relatives, was 

 inquisitiveness itself. Every hole it could find it insinuated itself into, 

 and its great delight was to get into a shoe or boot, and then to push it 

 along over the floor, as if it were impelled by some invisible machinery. 

 It rarely walked, but went about the house on a gallop or canter. 



The highest and the most graceful of all the carnivores are the cats, a 

 family which embraces not only our familiar puss, but the lion and tiger 

 and a host of smaller forms as well. All are cat-like ; they have the same 

 silent tread, the sharp claws, when not in use, being drawn back into 

 velvety pockets, where the ground will not injure the points ; all are 

 graceful in every motion, and our domesticated kittens are no more agile 

 and playful than are those of the tiger or lion ; all are bloodthirsty and 

 treacherous. Fifty odd species are known, thirty-five of which are from 

 Asia, while America has about a dozen. 



If size and prowess are criteria, the tiger stands an easy first among all 

 the cats. In both respects it stands ahead of the lion, which for centuries 

 has been termed the ' king of beasts.' Its home is India, but it ranges 

 far outside that country ; in India, however, it is best known, and there it 

 furnishes the highest class of ' sport ' for the English officers. Tiger-hunts 

 are relieved from the curse of many other so-called sports ; for every tiger 

 killed is a benefit to the country: but tiger-hunts are nearly as danger- 

 ous to the pursuers as to the pursued ; for it not infrequently occurs that 

 several fall victims to the beast before the rifle lays him low. Tigers 

 delight in the thick jungle, whence they issue at intervals to carry off the 

 cattle of the villagers, or, perchance, a human being. There are several 

 ways of hunting the tiger : one is to tether a goat or kid in some place 

 which they frequent, and then await his nocturnal approach, and shoot 

 him from a platform in the trees. This, however, is tame sport beside 

 that of driving him from his lair in the jungle, and then hunting him from 

 horseback, or from a howdah on the elephant. 



In killing an ox or a buffalo the tiger usually tries to seize it with its 

 jaws by the nape of the neck and dislocate the backbone by a wrench 

 while the body is held fast by the paws. It has, however, been known to 



