Most of us probably who are in the habit of constantly visiting the Zoological Gardens have heard the roar of the lion—that grand, deep-toned, terrible voice, which seems to make the very air in close proximity to the king of beasts vibrate and quiver. We also frequently read and hear tales of the roar of the tiger; but the writer ventures to say that this impression is erroneous. The Bengal tiger, when going his nightly rounds, often makes a low yawning kind of whine or sigh, ending with a subdued grunt sounding like distant thunder; and a highly unpleasant cry it is to the belated traveller on foot as he hurries along the jungle path. But this night-moan of a prowling tiger has no resemblance whatever to the deep, grand, resounding roar of the lion. Again, every tiger-shooter who has witnessed the scene can readily recall to mind that never-to-be-forgotten moment when a royal tiger worthy of the name—perhaps wounded and goaded to fury and desperation by his eager pursuers—at length turns to try conclusions with them, and with open jaws, ears laid back, flashing eye, and tail on end, a truly terrible object, bounds towards his enemies. At such times he makes the jungle resound with a succession of deep-drawn coughing growls, evidently delivered with the intention of striking terror into the hearts of his foes. But again we say, these murderous snarls of an enraged tiger are altogether dissimilar in character to the roar of the king of beasts. The wild tribes of Central India have often told the writer that at certain seasons of the year they are made aware of tigers being in the neighbourhood by horrible ‘caterwauling’ sounds emanating from the jungle; and doubtless this is correct, for we all know the agony of mind we often labour under when a conclave of our domestic cats are holding a palaver on the garden wall. There is an almost universal belief that the lion roars when _he is hungry_, and in a wild state when in _search of prey_; but the writer ventures to say that, like the bear’s _hug_ and other almost proverbial expressions of the kind, the idea is altogether erroneous. Probably certain verses in the Bible, more especially in the Psalms, such as ‘The lions roaring after their prey, &c.,’ and passages of a similar nature, have given rise to this impression. But, let it be asked, would so cunning an animal as the lion, when hungry and in search of his dinner, betray his approach and put every living creature within miles of the spot thoroughly on the _qui vive_, by making the forest echo again with his roaring? Assuredly not; for a more certain method of scaring his prey he could not possibly adopt. All quadrupeds, more especially the deer tribe, well know and dread the voice of their natural enemy. Even domestic animals instinctively recognise and show fear on hearing the cry of a wild beast.