0QQ THE TIGER. 



If they are marching against an enemy, and a Tiger 

 is seen flying nearly in the same directionj victory 

 is always supposed to be certain. Bat as it must 

 of course happen that the reverse frequently takes 

 place, they are never in want of a subterfuge to 

 justify a similar augury. 



The Tigress, like the Lioness, produces four or 

 five young at a litter. She is at all times furious ; 

 but her rage rises to the utmost extremity, when rob^ 

 bed of her young. She then braves every danger ; 

 and pursues her plunderers, who are often obliged 

 to release one of their captives in order to retard 

 her motion. She stops, takes it up, and carries it 

 to the nearest covert ; but instantly returns, and 

 renews her pvirsuit, even to the gates of build- 

 ings, or the edge of the sea : and when her hope 

 of recovering her offspring is lost, she expresses her 

 agony by bowlings so hideous as to excite terror 

 wherever they are heard. 



The roar of the Tiger is said to be exceedingly 

 dreadful. It begins by intonations and inflections, 

 deep, melancholy and slow : presently it becomes 

 more actite ; v;hen suddenly exerting himself, tlie 

 animal utters a violent cry, interrupted by long 

 tremulous sounds, which, together, make a distract- 

 ing impression upon the mind. It is chiefly in 

 the night that this is heard ; when silence and 

 , darkness add to the horror, and his roarings are re- 

 peated by the echoes of the iTiOuntains *. 



The skin is held in high, esteem in all tlie Eastern 



* D'Obsonvillc, 88. 



