96 SPORT IN BENGAL. 



find, from clay and earth worms, up to dead elephants, being 

 in this respect also like other carnivora. After man, they 

 prefer beef ; after beef, pork ; and venison after pork ; but 

 they are not gourmets by any means, nor at all fastidious, 

 since, other food failing, they will make a dinner off a young 

 cub of their own, or a half nephew or male cousin. 



I have never seen or heard of a black tiger, or of a tiger 

 without stripes ; nor can I name with any degree of confidence 

 the extreme limit of age reached in the wild state, but 

 judge it to be from twenty-five to thirty years. 



Tigresses have from two to four cubs, three most fre- 

 quently, I think, and never to my knowledge five at a litter, 

 although I have read of as many being produced at a birth. 



Cubs will remain with or near their mother until they are 

 a couple of years old, or even afterwards, if not driven away 

 by violent and unparental treatment on her part, or that of a 

 step-father. At the age of two, the young ones will be big and 

 strong enough to keep house independently, without following 

 their mother, or hanging on her apron strings for advice and 

 guidance; and by that time she will have another family, 

 and be expecting a third. At the age of two, young tigers 

 are quite capable of catering for themselves. 



The question is often asked, can a tiger overcome and slay 

 a wild bull buffalo ? The answer may be in the affirmative 

 or negative, and yet be equally correct. A bull in the prime 

 and fullest vigour of his life and lusty strength, will ordinarily 

 beat off an average tiger or tigress, but he will be only a fair 

 match for a male tiger of extraordinary size and weight, and 

 victory may rest with one or other, according to certain 

 preliminary or subsequent advantages gained by either in the 

 combat ; for instance, if the tiger at his first spring be able 

 to fix himself firmly upon the neck and shoulders of the bull, 

 he will score an important point, which may land him the 

 victor ; but if, on the contrary, the bull succeed in hurling his 

 assailant on the ground, and giving him a good prod of his 

 horns, and a stamp of his fore feet, he will ultimately prove 

 the conqueror. A large and powerful tiger will undoubtedly 



