THE TIGER. 



131 



out being seen. The step, too, is so qniet and stealthy, that it gives no audible indication of 

 the creature's whereabouts, and the Tiger has, besides, a curious habit of drawing in its breath 

 and flattening its fur, so as to reduce its bulk as far as possible. When a Tiger thus slinks 

 away from the hunters or from any dreaded danger, it looks a most contemptible and cowardly 

 creature, hardly to be recognized in the fiery beast, which, when driven to bay, rushes, regard- 

 less of danger, with fierce yells of rage and bristling hair, upon the foremost foe. 



When seeking its prey, it never appears to employ openly that active strength which 

 would seem so sure to attain its end, but creeps stealthily towards the object, availing itself 

 of every cover, until it can spring upon the destined victim. Like the lion, it has often been 

 known to stalk an unconscious animal, crawling after it as it moves along, and following its 

 steps in hopes of gaining a nearer approach. It has even been known to stalk human beings 



TIGER. - Tigris regdlis. 



in this fashion, the Tiger in question being one of those terrible animals called ' ' Man-eaters, ' ' 

 on account of their destructive propensities. It is said that there is an outward change caused 

 in the Tiger by the indulgence of this man-slaying habit, and that a "Man-eater" can be 

 distinguished from any other Tiger by the darker tint of the skin, and a redness in the cornea 

 of the eyes. Not even the Man-eating Tiger dares an open assault, but crawls insidiously 

 towards his prey, preferring, as does the lion, the defenceless women and children as the object 

 of attack, and leaving alone the men, who are seldom without arms. 



The Tiger is very clever in selecting spots from whence it can watch the approach of its 

 intended prey, itself being couched under the shade of foliage or behind the screen of some 

 friendly rock. It is fond of lying in wait by the side of moderately frequented roads, more 

 particularly choosing those spots where the shade is the deepest, and where water may be 

 found at hand wherewith to quench the thirst that it always feels when consuming its prey. 



