37 8 CARNIVORES. 



Indeed, the vertical stripes of tawny orange and black on the skin of the tiger 

 harmonise so exactly with the broad blades of yellow grass, separated by equally 

 broad lines of blackest shade, that it is often difficult indeed to distinguish the 

 animal from his surroundings when seen in his native jungle during an Indian 

 summer. And, in this connection, it is noteworthy that the tigers of Northern 

 Asia, where dry grass-jungles like those of India are unknown, are stated to have 

 the ground colour of their skins of a much less brilliant hue. 



The literature relating to the habits and mode of life of the tiger is even more 

 extensive than is the case with the lion ; while that devoted to tiger-shooting is 

 simply appalling in quantity. While the terms noble and majestic are those which 

 were formerly, and are often still applied to the lion, the epithets cunning and cruel 

 are more generally assigned to the tiger ; while the word " tigerish " has become an 

 integral portion of our language to denote ferocious cruelty. It may be doubted, 

 however, whether these epithets are really more exclusively applicable to the one 

 than to the other animal, when the different conditions under which they live are 

 taken into account. It is true, indeed, that the amount of damage done by tigers 

 is vastly greater than that which can be charged to lions ; but then it must be 

 remembered that, whereas the former frequently inhabit more or less densely- 

 populated districts, the latter are often found in regions where there are but few 

 human inhabitants, and but small numbers of cattle. Then again, the more 

 warlike nature of many of the African races, as compared with those of India, is 

 fatal to the existence of man-eating lions, whereas man-eating tigers in India are 

 frequently regarded with superstitious reverence, and no attempts are made at their 

 destruction. 



Although there is a great difference in the habits of individual tigers, 

 according to whether they live on wild game killed in the jungles, or on domestic 

 cattle, or are man-eaters, yet the whole of them have certain characters in common. 

 Thus, as a rule, the Indian tiger is a solitary and unsociable animal, although at 

 certain seasons of the year the pairs of males and females associate more or less 

 closely together. In all cases the male consorts with but a single female ; but it has 

 not yet been definitely ascertained whether this union is permanent. Occasionally, 

 however, as many as four, five, or even six, full-grown tigers have been seen in 

 company ; and it appears that these are always family parties, the cubs having 

 remained with their parents till grown up. Like the lion, the tiger is essentially 

 nocturnal, lying concealed in the long grass or forests till evening, and then 

 issuing forth for its nightly prowls. Their wanderings during the cold and wet 

 seasons at least are considerable, and it is considered by Sir J. Fayrer that at such 

 periods of the year they have no fixed abodes. During the hot season, however, 

 when the whole country is burnt up with the heat, and the smaller streams, pools, 

 and tanks are dry, the range of the Indian tiger l becomes much more restricted. 

 At such times it takes up one definite " beat," haunting the banks of the rivers, and 

 patches of long grass which are kept fresh and green by growing near water, or 

 in swampy ground. And it is remarkable, as Sir Samuel Baker observes, that 

 when a tiger with a restricted beat is killed, in the course of a few months another 



1 As almost the whole of our knowledge of the habits of tigers is derived from India, our remarks apply in 

 great measure only to those of that country. 



