362 MAMMALIA. 



blood-thirsty propensity, and confines itself, when threatened, to 

 defence. The expression relative to the "Tiger thirsting for 

 blood " is a form of rhetoric which can only be accepted as a 

 figurative expression. 



What may have been the cause for attributing a high degree 

 of ferocity to the Tiger is its incredible audacity. In this it 

 diflfers from the Lion, for when hungry no obstacle, not even 

 the most certain danger, will arrest it. Nor does it delay, 

 nor employ artifice to entrap its prey, nor will it abandon it 

 if too powerful ; neither does it wait to be reduced by hunger 

 to the last extremity before it braves everj' obstacle. No ; it 

 throws itself without hesitation on the first object that presents, 

 whether Man or animal, and will face death a thousand times 

 in order to carry it off. This temerity is too frequently crowned 

 with success. 



A large bodj^ of Indian horsemen are traversing a forest.* A 

 Tiger glides through the underwood that skirts the road, springs 

 upon one of them, drags him down from his horse, grasps him in 

 its terrible jaws, and rushes back again to the wood, where it 

 devours the imfortunate at leisure. These various movements are 

 executed so rapidly, that there is scarcely time to see the marauder. 

 (Fig. 139.) 



The Tiger is even bolder than this ; for it will carry off soldiers 

 in the middle of their encampment beneath the eyes of the sentries. 

 A feat of this kind has been reported by an English officer in every 

 respect trustworthy, and who was an eye-witness. 



A Tiger has been seen to select a victim from the midst of an 

 immense assemblage of men. This happened at the fair at 

 Hurdwar, where a considerable concourse of people annually 

 gather from all parts of India. The animal sprang out from a 

 thicket situated in a field of barley, and in the sight of a terror- 

 stricken crowd, struck down a native who was peacefully occupied 

 in cutting spice. 



These facts, and many others which would be too long to 

 enumerate, fully justify the terror that the Tiger inspires in 

 Asia. Each year it marks its presence by the destruction of 

 numerous human beings. According to statistics recentlv pub- 



* Tigers very rarely attack persons on horseback. The Hindoos attribute this to 

 their inability to comprehend such a combination. — Ed. 



