Page:Charles Catton, Animals (1788).pdf/9



obervation of the inferiority of works of art, compared to the productions of Nature, is particularly applicable to the kin of the Tiger, the beauty and plendour of which urpaes that of mot other quadrupeds; and what the Peacock is among birds, in the opinion of the Ancients, the Tiger is among beats. The colours which adorn the kin of the Tiger are, a bright yellow chenut on the back, legs, and about half way down the ides, which are beautifully enlivened by black perpendicular tripes; the feet and tail are alo marked with the ame coloured tripes, but horizontal; the belly, chet, and cheeks are white, and alo marked; is claed among the Cat Tribe.

Of Tigers there are everal kinds of various izes, but which till retain the ame detructive qualities, and poes the ame deire for carnage. The one here hewn is the larget of the pecies, and is called the Royal, or Bengal Tiger; which, Mr. Buffon ays, is the only one deerving the name of a Tiger. "It is a terrible animal, and more to be dreaded than the Lion; its ferocity is comparable to nothing. Let us judge of its power by its tature; it generally tands four or five feet high, and is nine, ten, and even thirteen, or fourteen feet long, excluive of the tail."

The one from which this drawing was made, as near as we could meaure, was nine feet long, and about even or eight feet from the rump to the noe, and about four or four and a half feet high.

Tigers, though lender in their make, poes great trength of body; the report of travellers in this particular, if not corroborated by numbers, could carcely be credited. The Buffaloes of India are very large, yet a Tiger has been known to carry one on his back with uch alacrity, that his peed was carcely impeded; the weight of an inferior animal, or a man, will nothing obtruct his flight.

The Tiger, like all of the Cat Tribe (the Lion excepted), eizes his prey by urprie; lying in ambuh, they wait with ilent patience for an opportunity to pring on the detined victim, which he will bound upon at the ditance of twenty or more feet; and if he chance to mis, does not perevere openly in the attack, but in a cowardly manner kulks about, and eeks another opportunity for effecting that by urprie, which a datardly temper denies to his trength; yet, when urged by neceity, the Tiger hews either great courage or depair: In combating the Lion, he defends himelf valiantly, and frequently with victory. The Tiger, if unditurbed, always firt ucks the blood of his prey, rooting his head even into the cavity of the body; happines appears at the highet when he drinks in the gore of the vanquihed.

The rapacity of this animal engages him ometimes in conflict with the Crocodile, who, when the Tiger approaches the water to drink (which a contant thirst compels him frequently to), readily puts up his head in hopes of a prize; then the Tiger immediately trikes his claws into the eyes of the Crocodile; this unwelcome alute is declined by inking in the water, the Tiger till retaining his hold. Thus circumtanced, the iue is doubtful, either combatant triving not les for victory than for life; the agonizing pain of the one, and the irritated fury of the other, producing a conflict truly avage; in which death is often the portion of both.

Intances have been known of the lightet occurrence, or noie, repelling or diappointing the attack of the Tiger. The Royal Tiger here hewn was carcely known to the Ancients, and are rare in the Eat Indies, which may be conidered as their native oil.