CHAPTER VII. 

 THE TIGER (FELIS TIGRIS) 



DESPITE the facts that so many English 

 people have relations and friends earning 

 their living in India, and that so many Englishmen 

 of means now visit that country, it is surprising to 

 find how great is the ignorance which prevails at 

 home regarding the big striped cat who is the 

 subject of this chapter. 



English people are wont to believe that tigers 

 are common in India, and that a man has only to 

 be keen on shooting, and to desire interviews with 

 these interesting felines, in order to obtain plenty 

 of skins. 



As a matter of fact, however, the truth is (alas !) 

 exactly the reverse, and every sportsman has 

 ascertained the falsity of the pleasing fiction so 

 soon after his arrival in India as his circumstances 

 may have rendered it possible for him to go out 

 tiger shooting. Many keen sportsmen have been 

 out in India for a number of years, have spent a 

 good deal of both time and money in trying to 

 bag tigers, but have not succeeded in slaying even 

 one. 



The fact is that tigers are necessarily rare 

 H 97 



