Persia, Amurland, and China. Elphinstone states that it is not uncommon in Afghanistan; and Lieut. Irwin says the Tiger
is found as far as Tashkund, although in that temperate climate it does not equal the animal from Bengal in strength and
ferocity. Atkinson also informs us that this species has been killed in Siberia, having crossed from the Kirghis Steppe into
the Altai Mountains; and Arthur Adams records, in his ‘ Travels in Japan and Mantchuria,’ that he found remains of the
Tiger both at the Korea and at Vladimir. The Kirghis say that the Tiger is very fond of pork, and, wherever the wild
boars are numerous, there he takes up his abode. Adams also remarks that this species is abundant in the province of Lian-
tung, the glrins he purchased being cheap. The Manchu Tartars have a novel way of capturing this formidable beast. A
deep and wide ditch is dug, of a circular form, leaving an island in the centre, where a man takes his position. The ditch
is hidden by a covering of brush; and when the Tiger perceives the man he makes a spring, but, falling short, is speared by
the hunters lying in wait. In the Korea great value is apparently placed upon the skins, which are reserved for the chiefs.
They are warm and more woolly than those from India. Although the Tiger is popularly supposed to be only a dweller
in tropical regions, he is capable of supporting very great cold; and, according to Dode, in the regions of the Amoor river
he is much less ferocious than the Tiger of Bengal, never attacks of his own accord, but flees when pursued, and only
defends himself when mortally wounded. This northern animal, like the Leopard of the same latitudes, has long fur, is
much fighter in colour than its southern brethren, and is thereby prepared for the low temperature which it experiences
during a certain part of the year. One, brought by Mr. Dode, and which is now in the Museum of Natural History of
New York, is represented by the long-haired individual in the Plate, the figure being a faithful likeness of the example.
These thick-furred specimens have been regarded by some as representing, if not a separate species, at all events a well-
marked variety of the ordinary Tiger. This, however, is an incorrect view; for it appears that the long-haired animal does
not exclusively belong to the northern regions, as I ascertained from the fact that a skin, shown to me by Prof. A. Milne-
Edwards, belonging to a Tiger which originally came from Bengal, and lived for three or four years in the Museum of the
Jardin des Plantes, had a very long and thick fur, very similar to that of specimens from Siberia and Northern Asia. The
skulls of some northern Tigers were sent to England by Mr. Swinhoe from China, and critically examined by Prof. Busk;
and his conclusions were published in the * Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London.’ One of these skulls was
from Fychoo, 120 miles inland from Ningpo, on the south-east coast of China; and the other belonged to a Mantchunan
Tiger from Kirim, in the north of the empire. This latter was taken out of a long-haired skin, procured by the Governor
of the port of Newchwong; so that its genuineness cannot be doubted. The Fychoo skull belonged to a short-haired animal
undistinguishable, in Mr. Swinhoe’s opinion, from the Bengal Tiger. “ The closest comparison,” says Prof. Busk, “ I have
been able to make between these two externally distinct varieties fails to indicate any thing approaching to a specific
distinction between them; nor, again, do they appear in any respect to differ, so far as the cranial and dental characters are
concerned, from the Indian species.” I t is undoubtedly the fact that the long hair is only given to the animal as a
protection against the cold, as is also the case in the thickly furred Cheetah, and cannot be regarded as in any way
indicating a specific character. Individuals of the species living upon the islands of the Eastern Archipelago vary also from
those found on the continent. Thus specimens from, Sumatra are smaller than Indian and Asiatic Tigers, and do not
exhibit any white about the face and throat, these parts being buff, while the general colour is a dark red, but with the
stripes distributed as in the typical style. Captain Forsyth says that in India the native shikaris recognize two kinds of Tigers
— lodhia bagh and oontia bagh—the first being alight and active beast, the latter a heavier animal, with a faintly striped coat.
These differences, however, are probably only the result of age, and do not indicate two species, as the author further
remarks that the above names are only given to extreme specimens, the majority being of an intermediate character, not
distinguished by any name. He says that the larger and older the animal is, the more yellow his coat becomes, and the
fainter and further apart are the stripes. Small Tigers are sometimes so covered with stripes as to present the appearance
of being almost a mclanoid variety. . Occasionally white Tigers with fulvous stripes have been killed; but they are rare.
The Tiger usually resorts to dense thickets, long grass, and brushwood, on the banks of rivers, and places covered with
t amarisk. These are its favourite hiding-places in hot weather; and Captain Forsyth states that when this cover is extensive,
and the river-banks are furnished with thick scrubby jungle, through which ravines lead to the open country, where cattle
graze, a Tiger is certain to be found in it during the hot season. Occasionally numbers of this species are met with in
such localities; and the author just mentioned says that on two occasions he has known five, and once seven, Tigers to be
driven out of one cover at the same time. He imagined that the season of love-making had something to do with these
gatherings. In Lower Bengal Jerdon states that the usual lair of the Tiger is in the heavy grass-jungles and swamps The
average length of a full-grown male is from 9 feet to 9 feet. 6 inches, and that of a female about a foot less. When greater
dimensions are given they are probably taken from the skin after it has been stretched. Capt. Forsyth says that the skin
of a 10-foot Tiger will easily stretch, if required, to 13 or 14 feet; and Jerdon states that he never saw one that measured
more than 10 feet and 2 or 3 inches. He adds that in Lower Bengal Tigers' are more abundant than in other parts of
India, and are said to be both larger and more savage than those from other localities. Happily they are probably not as
numerous anywhere in that country as they once were; for Sykes mentions that in the province of Kbn.ndp.iah 1032 were
killed from the years 1825 to 1829 inclusive, as he gathered from the official returns handed to him. The Tiger preys
upon cattle, various kinds of deer, the wild hog, &c.; and when animals are scarce, as recorded by Sir Walter Elliot, it
has been known to feed on frogs. This writer also mentions that, when one of these great Cats had been killed,
it was found to be extremely emaciated from inability to swallow, on account of a porcupine’s quill having gone
through the gullet. This had probably become fixed there when the Tiger had endeavoured to seize one of those animals.
The same gentleman once found a full-grown Tiger nearly killed, evidently by the rip of a boar’s tu sk ; and two similar
cases were related to him by others who had witnessed them. So it is clear that this creature does not always come off
victorious in his encounter with the other inhabitants of the jungle, although they may be his inferiors in strength. This
species will also feed upon any carcass that it may chance to meet with, and has been known to practise, cannibalism to
a certain extent, as is proved by the following:—A sportsman in Khandeish, having killed a Tigress, sent a servant with an
elephant to bring it into his tent. The messenger soon returned, and stated that he found her alive. The next morning,
on going in search, it was discovered that the animal had been dragged into a ravine by another Tiger, and half of the
carcass had been devoured. They found this beast close by, and killed him also. Generally this species is cowardly, and
retreats from man’s presence, except when wounded. Instances have been recorded when this animal, having seized the
boy who was watching cattle, was compelled to release his victim by the herd charging in a body and driving the Tiger off.
It is stated that this species will kill an ox .about every five days, and, if hungry, will eat both hind quarters the first night.
He then hides the carcass under some bank, covering it with leaves &c., and returns to it the next night, and finishes it
all but the head, and on the third night picks all the bones. If he is disturbed during any of these visits, he abandons his
prey, and kills some other animal at the first opportunity. A Tigress and cubs, however, will finish a bullock, according
to Captain Forsyth, in a single night. The mode of killing the prey is to seize it by the nape of the neck with the teeth,
holding the victim by the paws in order to get a purchase for the wrench that dislocates the neck. Young Tigers are
more destructive than the old ones, and will occasionally kill four or five cows at once. The muscular power of this beast
is wonderfully great. Instances, related by thoroughly reliable persons and authors of repute, are not wanting to prove
the Tiger’s ability to pull down the Elephant to his knees, and even to kill him. Two officers were hunting Tigers in
Central India, when one was discovered lying in the shade of a dense bush. As soon as it was fired at it charged, and
mounted onto the elephant’s head, and lacerated the animal terribly about the trunk and eyes. The mahout struck the
Tiger on the head with his iron driving-hook, and battered his skull so as to leave marks in the bones. At length the
heast was driven off; but as soon as the elephant was urged on again the Tiger charged as before; and on the elephant
turning round to run away, mindful of the punishment she had already received, the Tiger caught her by the hind leg, and
fairly pulled her over onto her side. The brute was eventually killed; but the elephant also died from her injuries. A writer
in the ‘Field’ newspaper, over the signature of “ R o h illa ,” relates that when once hunting in a very celebrated Tiger-
beat called Rutndl, one of the pad-elephants was unexpectedly charged by a Tiger, even before he had been wounded, and
pulled down onto her knees. Urging his own elephant to the rescue of his followers, who had been thrown into the grass
almost on the back of the Tiger, the hunter was charged by the enraged brute, which mounted at once onto the pad, close to
the howdah. Holding his rifle like a pistol, he fired twice into the creature’s face, when it dropped off, and went, growling
horribly, into the grass. The elephants were immediately sent in again; and again the beast charged one; and although, as
was afterwards ascertained, the Tiger was desperately wounded, having a jaw broken and a fearful hole through his neck
close to the vertebrae, he succeeded in getting his fore paws onto the pad, caught it in his teeth, and by sheer weight and
force, for his hindquarters were off the ground, he pulled the elephant over. The beast was at length killed by a lucky
shot in the spine, when in the act of charging another elephant. Captain Forsyth imagines that the Tigress does not
breed more than once in three years, as the cubs stay with her over two years, or until they are nearly frill-grown. The