Anecdotes of the Habits and Instinct of AnimalsLee, R., Mrs.
General
Anecdotes of the Habits and Instinct of Animals
Lee, R., Mrs.
Animal behavior -- Juvenile literature
The colour of the tiger is a bright orange tawny, white underneath, and
broad black stripes on the back, sides and tail. His head is rounder
than that of the lion, and he takes the most enormous leaps; he is to be
tamed to a certain extent, but never trusted. He prowls both night and
day; and in some places, the devastation he has caused is terrific.
Nothing can exceed the tragic tales which are told of him, in the
countries where he exists in numbers; and in one part of India, it is
said that at least three hundred lives were taken every year, within a
district containing seven villages, independent of an enormous number of
sheep, goats, and cattle. Horses will not stand in his presence with any
steadiness; and the elephant is restless when in his vicinity. This
sagacious animal often manages to shake him off; and if he have taken
hold of his trunk, he tramples on him with his fore-feet and so destroys
him. If he cannot dislodge him from his body, he lies down upon him, and
attempts to kill him by rolling his ponderous weight upon him. Seldom,
however, is the tiger the aggressor, unless he be driven to it by
hunger, or maddened by pain and despair, and then he struggles till he
dies. He hides himself with such caution and skill, that travellers are
laid hold of without being aware of his vicinity. The bride has been
snatched from her camel, the sportsman from his elephant, and the child
from its mother.
Tigers are much more easily caught in traps than lions; and those most
used, are made so as to fall upon them when they seize the bait. In
Sumatra the natives poison the carcasses which are left for them, or
they fasten these baits to a stake, or tree, and place a vessel filled
with arsenic and water near by, of which the tiger invariably drinks,
after making a full meal.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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