42 THE LEOPARD. 
spots where the shade is the deepest, and where water may be found at hand 
wherewith to quench the thirst that 1t always feels when consuming its prey. 
From such a point of vantage it will leap with terrible effect, seldom making 
above a single spring, and, as a rule, always being felt before it is seen or 
heard. 
It is a curious fact that the Tiger generally takes up his post on the side of 
the road which is opposite his lair, so that he has no need to turn and drag 
his prey across the road, but proceeds forward with his acquisition to his den. 
Should the Tiger miss his Jeap, he generally seems bewildered and ashamed 
of himself, and instead of returning to the spot to make a second attempt, 
sneaks-off discomfited from the scene of his humiliation. The spots where 
there is most danger of meeting a Tiger, are the crossings of nullahs, or the 
deep ravines through which the watercourses run. In these localities the 
Tiger is sure to find his two essentials, cover and water. So apathetic are 
the natives, and so audacious are tne Tigers, that at some of these crossings 
aman or a bullock may be carried sff daily, and yet no steps will be taken to 
avert the danger, with the excepti 1 of a few amulets suspended about the 
person. Sometimes the Tigers seem to take a panic, and make a general 
emigration, leaving, without any apparent reason, the spots which they had 
Jong infested, and making a sudden appearance in some locality where they 
had but seldom before been seen. 
Many modes are adopted of killing so fearful a pest as the Tiger, and some 
of these plans are very ingenious—such as the spring-bow, which is discharged 
by the movements of the animal itself; the pitfall, f-om which it cannot 
escape ; the leaves smeared with bird lime, by which the Tiger blinds itself, 
and so falls an easy prey ; the fall-trap, and many others. Among Europeans, 
however, the Tiger is hunted in due form, the sportsmen being mounted on 
elephants, and furnished with a perfect battery of loaded rifles. The shell 
bullet, which explodes as it enters the body, has come much into vogue. 
The Tiger is a capital swimmer, and will take to the water with perfect 
readiness, either in search of prey, or to escape the pursuit of enemies. 
It swims rather high in the water, and therefore affords a - »d mark to 
those who are quick of aim. The natatory abilities are by no means small, 
and while swimming it can strike out with its paws most effectively, inflict- 
ing deep wounds wherever its outspread talons made good their aim. So 
cunning is the animal, that if there should be no cause for hurry, it will halt 
on the river’s brink, and deliberately put its paw into the water, so as to ascer- 
tain the force of the stream. This point being made clear, it proceeds either 
up or down the river, as may best suit its purpose, and so makes allowance 
for the river stream or the ocean tide. 
UNLIKE the Tiger, which is confined to the Asiatic portion of the world, the 
LEOPARD is found in Africa as well asin Asia, and is represented in America 
by the Jaguar, or, perhaps more rightly, by the Puma. 
This animal is one of the most graceful of the graceful tribe of Cats, and, 
although far less in dimensions than the tiger, challenges competition with 
that animal in the beautiful markings of its fur and the easy elegance of its 
movements. It is possessed of an accomplishment which is not within the 
powers of the lion or tiger, being able to climb trees with singular ability, 
and even to chase the tree-loving animals among their familiar haunts. On 
account of this power, it is called by the natives of India “ Lakree-baug,” or 
Tree-tiger. Even in Africa it is occasionally called a “ Tiger,” a confusion of 
nomenclature which is quite bewildering to a non-zoologist, who may read in 
one book that there are no tigers in Africa, and in another may peruse a 
narrative of a tiger-hunt at the Cape. Similar mistakes are made with regard 
to the American Felidae, not to mention the numerous examples of miscalled 
