BENGAL TIGER. 105 



modes of catching the tiger. One of these is a trap, 

 like a large strong cage with folding doors_, into which 

 the animal is enticed by a small quadruped put in as a 

 bait. Another, very effectual, is made of a large beam 

 so constructed as to fall into a groove and break the tiger's 

 back ; or a plank, nicely balanced, is placed in a sloping 

 direction, which, by turning when the animal has passed 

 the middle, precipitates him into a pit filled with sharp 

 stakes. The tigers of this island, which seem to be of an 

 unusually large size, are said to break the legs of a horse 

 or buffalo by a single stroke of the fore paw, and to 

 drag the body without difficulty into the forests.* 



The manner in which the tiger seizes its prey, was 

 fully exemplified by a full grown individual, which. 

 Major Smith informs usf, was lately exhibited at Ma- 

 dras. The animal was so far tamed, as to be held 

 merely by a chain ; it was, indeed, kept muzzled, ex- 

 cept when it was occasionally allowed to make an 

 attack on some animal for the gratification of the spec- 

 tators. For this purpose, a sheep was fastened by a 

 cord to a stake. The tiger, upon being brought out, 

 instantly couched, and moving almost on its belly, 

 but slowly and cautiously, till within the distance of a 

 spring from its victim, leaped upon and struck it down 

 almost instantly to death, seizing it at the same moment 

 by the throat : the tiger would then roll round on its 

 back, holding the sheep on its breast ; and fixing the 

 hind claws near the throat of the animal, would kick or 

 push them suddenly backwards, and tear it open in an 

 instant. Notwithstanding the natural ferocity of the 

 race, the individual in question was so fiar subjugated, 

 that while one keeper held the chain during this bloody 

 exhibition, another was enabled to get the carcase of 

 the sheep away, by throwing down a piece of meat. 



When captured quite young, and j udiciously treated, 

 some instances have occurred, where the tiger has ex- 

 hibited nearly as much gentleness as the lion under 

 similar circumstances. Three specimens in the Paris 



* Major Smith, in GrifF. Cuv. ii. 442. t Id. ibid. 



