-06 On the Mammalia of the 



rant's assistance, but the coward bad fled. A long struggle 

 now ensued for life and death, the boer had got on his feet, 

 but the tiger kept repeatedly springing up at his throat, and 

 was as often shaken off by the hands. So rapid was this 

 action that had it not been for the timely courage of the dog 

 at length seizing and biting the tiger severely on the flanks, 

 and diverting its attention for a moment, that enabled him 

 to reach his gun, and despatch his enemy, the boer would 

 have been worried on the spot. Assistance from some pass- 

 ing people enabled him then to reach his home, but dread- 

 fully lacerated in the shoulders, arms, and scalp, and faint 

 from the loss of blood. Death in ten days, however, put a 

 period to his sufferings, which continued till then intense, 

 the wounds never having become healthily inflamed or sup- 

 purated. Other accidents of this nature have occurred in 

 contests with this formidable savage of the forests, and are 

 so generally fatal that a tiger's bite in the country is reck- 

 oned poisonous, for which perhaps there may be some ground 

 in analogy with that of a rabid dog, and from a received 

 opinion that the salivary juices of carnivorous animals in a 

 state of passion become morbidly changed from their con- 

 stitution in health. 



A few individuals of the Reel Cuba Lynx (Felis Lynx) are 

 found in similar situations to the tiger, and are caught and 

 destroyed by similar means, by either dogs or traps. They 

 are equally a nuisance to the sheep-kraals, and like the wild 

 cat, prey upon fowls and such domestic birds. Their fur is 

 reddish-yellow above, rather whitish underneath ; the inguinal 

 regions have a few dark brown spots scattered on them. The 

 tail is black at its extremity, and the nearly erect ears, of a 

 dull lead colour, are tipped with a pencil of fine hairs. Their 

 skins are valuable for carosses and such purposes. 



The Wild Cat {Felis Serval, F. Cuv.) is found everywhere 

 in bushy country, and is very destructive to feathered game. 

 It sometimes attains as large a size as the small tiger, and is 

 of great comparative length of body, and the tail becomes 

 very bushy. Like all these feline animals, they are found 

 amongst bushy thickets, or else may be seen ensconced in 

 trees, awaiting to spring on their prey beneath. 



