THE TIGER 



a very large tiger ; a few questions, however, elicited 

 the fact that the measurement of length quoted had 

 been taken from the skin ! 



There is not even a universal method of measur- 

 ing tigers and panthers in vogue amongst all sports- 

 men, as is highly desirable. 



Personally, I have always treated mine by the 

 method which is the only reliable one, and which 

 gives the smallest possible measurement. I lay the 

 animal on its side, and pull it out as straight as 

 possible. I then put a stick in the ground at the 

 tip of the nose, and another at the end of the tail, 

 and measure the distance between the sticks clear 

 of the body. 



Thus dealt with, my largest tiger taped 9 feet 

 2 inches, and my largest tigress 8 feet 4 inches, 

 respectively in length. 



The ordinary mode of measurement, viz., running 

 the tape along the body following the curves 

 however strictly carried out gives a considerably 

 larger result in the case of the same animal than is 

 obtained by the method employed by me. 



The length of the tail varies somewhat in different 

 animals of otherwise similar dimensions, and though 

 weighment would be the best means of comparison, 

 it is seldom practicable. It is quite possible that in 

 Bengal tigers may grow to a larger size than they 

 do in Southern India, but so unsatisfactory is the 

 evidence, and so diverse are the methods of 

 measurement, that although I can well believe 

 that a giant amongst them might occasionally 

 attain a measurement of ten feet by the method 



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