162 THE TIGER. 



turn, and shooting the burglarious quadruped through the opening which its own daws 

 had made. 



A rather ludicrous adventure occurred to an old woman who was on her way home. 

 She had just arrived in sight of her doorway, when she perceived a large Tiger crawl 

 up to the entrance, and allured, probably, by the scent of provisions, walk coolly into 

 her house. With great presence of mind she closed the door on the intruder, and calling 

 for aid from her friends, soon had the satisfaction of placing her hand upon the Tiger's 

 carcass as he lay on her floor, pierced with the missiles hurled at him through the 

 window. 



Many of these beautiful animals have been brought to England, and through the 

 medium of Zoological Gardens and travelling menageries are familiar to us all. When 

 caught in its first infancy, or when born and bred in captivity, the Tiger is as tameable 

 an animal as the lion or any of the feline race, displaying great attachment to its keeper, 

 and learning many small accomplishments, such as jumping through hoops and over 

 sticks, enacting the part of a couch to its keeper, letting him pull its huge jaws open, 

 and all with perfect good humor. These exhibitions, however, are never quite safe, 

 and ought not to be permitted. 



On some occasions the animal may be in a bad temper, and not willing to go through 

 its performances, and upon being urged strongly to act against its inclination, may turn 

 upon its persecutor and inflict a fatal wound in a moment. The creature may not 

 intend to commit murder, but its strength is so great that, having no mathematical 

 knowledge of the theory of forces, it cannot calculate the effect of a blow from its paw, 

 or a grip of its teeth. Such events have more than once occurred, one of which, the 

 death of the well-known " Lion Queen," was singularly tragical. The Tiger was required 

 by the " Lion Queen " to exhibit some part of his usual performances, and being in a 

 sulky mood, refused to obey. The girl struck him with her whip, when he sprang upon 

 her, forced her against the side of the cage, and seized her by the throat. She was 

 almost immediately extricated from his grasp and removed from the cage, but although 

 no apparently mortal injury had been inflicted, she died within a very few minutes. 



If we look down the vista of long past centuries, we may recall the time when England 

 was but one large hunting-field, where the wild beasts roved at their pleasure. That 

 a human being should be struck down by a wild beast was in those days no uncommon 

 event, but that a similar circumstance should occur at the present day and in the open 

 streets of London, seems almost impossible. Yet it was but lately that a Tiger sprang 

 upon a young lad, in Ratcliffe Highway, providentially without inflicting very serious 

 damage. 



The animal had escaped from his cage, and dashing down the street, more perhaps, 

 in terror than rage, leaped upon the boy, and bore him to the ground. Fortunately 

 the keepers came up, and with their usual cool audacity rescued the sufferer, and 

 recaptured the truant Tiger. The nonchalance with which these men treat the fiercest 

 beasts, is most remarkable. They talk of a savage Tiger or leopard as if it were a 

 kitten, and seem to handle the dangerous beast with as much composure as if it were, 

 in truth, one of those animals. 



The same Tiger is also celebrated for his battle with a lion, resulting in the death 

 of the latter. 



The two creatures had been put into one large cage, or box, which was divided by a 

 partition in the centre, so as to separate the two animals. While the attendants were 

 at their breakfast, the Tiger battered down the too frail barrier, and leaping into the 

 lion's chamber, entered into fierce combat. Not even the keepers dared interfere to 

 stop the battle, which raged until it was terminated by the slaughter of the lion. The 

 poor beast never had a chance from the beginning, for it was weakened by three years' 

 captivity, and had lost the swift activity of its wild nature. Its heavy mane defended 

 its head and neck so well,, that the Tiger could not inflict any severe injury on those 

 portions, and the fatal wounds, under which it sank, were all upon the flanks and 

 abdomen, which were torn open by the Tiger's claws. 



It was a serious loss to the proprietor, for the lion had cost three hundred, and the 

 Tiger, which, although the victor, did not escape unscathed, four hundred pounds. 

 The lion was six or seven years of age at the time. 



