344 ' TIGER. 
together, an appearance far superior in beauty to 
the skin of the Zebra, or that of any other regu- 
larly-marked quadruped, not exceping even the 
Panther itself In its general size the Tiger is 
inferior only to the Lion, and has been seen even 
larger, viz of the length of fifteen feet from the 
nose to the tip of the tail. The largest are those 
of India, and are termed Royal Tigers ; but this 
distinction is supposed to relate merely to the 
size of the animal; there being only one species 
of Tiger, though there may perhaps be some races 
larger than others. 
Of so fierce and sangitinary a disposition is the 
Tiger as to surpass in rapacity every other wild 
beast, and is, therefore, considered as the most 
dreadful scourge of the hotter regions of Asia. 
The Lion is commonly supposed to exhibit a cer- 
tain degree of generosity of disposition, and to 
prey in a less mahgnant and cruel manner. He 
is also, when taken into a state of confinement, 
capable of being tamed, and rendered mild and 
placid to his keepers; but the Tiger is not to be 
divested of his natural ferocity of character, and in 
confinement he generally exhibits all the symptoms 
of malignity. His method of seizing his prey is by 
concealing himself from view, and springing with 
a horrible roar on his victim, which he carries off, 
and tears in pieces, after having first sucked out 
the blood. The voice of the Tiger, in the act of 
springing on his prey, is said to be hideous be- 
yond conception. Even a Buffalo has been thus 
seized by a Tiger, and carried off with such seem- 
