HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 



199 



The B L A C K-T I G E R 



differs from the former chiefly in the colour, which is 

 duflcy, fometimes fpotted with black, but generally plain. 

 The throat, belly, and infides of the legs, are of a pale- 

 am colour; the upper lip white, covered with long whif- 

 kers : Above each eye, it has very long hairs ; and at the 

 corner of the mouth, a black fpot : Its paws are white 3 

 and its ears (harp and pointed. 



It grows to the fize of a heifer of a year old, and has 

 great ftrength in its limbs. 



It inhabits Brazil and Guiana, is a cruel and fierce 

 animal, much dreaded by the Indians ; but fortunately 

 the fpecies is not numerous. 



M. de la Borde, in his defcription of thefe animals, 

 fays, that they frequent the fea-fhore, and eat the eggs 

 depofited there by the turtles. They likewife eat cai- 

 mans or alligators, lizards, and fifties, and fometimes 

 the buds and tender leaves of the Indian fig. — They are 

 excellent fwimmers. — In order to catch the alligator* 

 they lie down on their belly at the edge of the river s 



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