THE TIGER. 43 



In the matter of courage and muscular power, it is hard to 

 decide, there being so much conflicting eTidence upon the subject. 

 Hunters and travellers in Africa extol the lion ; while those in 

 Asia generally, and India especially — the home of the tiger — 

 maintain the superiority of the latter. In ferocity and cunning 

 he is undoubtedly conspicuous. Buffon says that the tiger, with 

 an audacity superior to his nature, even braves the lion himself. 

 This is undoubtedly correct, for although there are but few if any 

 instances recorded where the lion has voluntarily attacked or 

 killed a tiger, there are several well-known cases of tigers having 

 killed lions. A tiger that belonged to Mr. Jamrack, the dealer in 

 wild beasts, was sold for £200 to Mr. Edmunds, who had soon 

 cause to regret his bargain, for the animal, being accidentally 

 enabled to get out of his own den into the adjoining one, attacked 

 the occupant, which was a most valuable lion, and catching him 

 by the throat killed him. 



The movements of the tiger are quicker, and it is more agile 

 and stealthy than the lion, though the lioness in this respect is 

 somewhat similar. In its speed it partakes of the general 

 character of the cats, excelling in sudden rushes, quick bounds, 

 or succession of bounds, but is apparently incapable of sustained 

 speed or continuous exertion, though the distance one can 

 travel on occasions is considerable. 



The writers who have made careful observations of the tiger 

 describe it as naturally a cowardly or cautiously disposed animal, 

 retreating generally unless provoked or wounded; cattle even 

 rushing in a body at one have frequently been known to make it 

 drop the prey that it had seized. 



"When at bay, howevef , it will fight to the last ; one has been 

 known to combat a I'outrance with forty-six elephants. Mr. 

 Crauford states that he witnessed this in Cochin China, and that 

 the tiger was chained to a stake by a rope thirty yards long ; his 

 claws were cut, and his mouth sewed up, but this brave brute flung 

 himself again and again upon his foe, till many of the elephants 

 slunk terrified away, and the tiger met his death at last by the 

 sheer tossing he got from the trunks of certain of his opponents. 



Tigers are only found in Asia, and begin to appear where the 



