38 THE TOWER MENAGERIE. 
avoid; but, when hard pressed, he fears not to make 
head against the hunter; and it frequently requires the 
exertion of no common share of skill and intrepidity in 
the latter to save himself from the deadly fangs of the 
infuriated object of his pursuit. Occasionally, indeed, 
the cravings of hunger stimulate the treacherous animal 
to attack the unwary woodcutter, or the lone traveller 
whose path has led to his secret haunts; but in this case 
he rarely, if ever, shows himself openly in the face of 
day, but watches with insidious glare for the fatal oppor- 
tunity of springing upon his wretched victim from 
behind, and of annihilating his power of resistance before 
it could possibly be exerted in his defence. 
In captivity, however, especially if taken while yet 
young, his character frequently undergoes a change as 
favourable as that which takes place under the same 
circumstances in the generality of his tribe. The pair at 
present in the Tower are male and female; they are both 
Asiatic, and are confined in the same den, but they differ 
very materially in temper and disposition. The female, 
which is the older of the two, and has been a resident in 
the Menagerie for upwards of four years, is exceedingly 
tame, suffering herself to be patted and caressed by the 
keeper, and licking his hands. Strangers, however, 
especially ladies, should be cautious of approaching her 
too familiarly, as she has always evinced a particular 
predilection for the destruction of umbrellas, parasols, 
muffs, hats, and such other articles of dress as may 
happen to come within her reach, seizing them with the 
greatest quickness and tearing them into pieces almost 
before the astonished visiter has become aware of the 
loss. To so great an extent has she carried this peculiar 
