Tiger

Tiger (Felis tigris), a large Carnivore of the cat family, confined to Asia, ranging over nearly the whole continent, from Georgia to the island of Saghalien, and from the basin of the Amoor southwards. Tigers, however, are absent from the great central table-lands and Ceylon; and Sumatra, Java, and Bali are the only islands of the Malay Archipelago in which they occur. Individuals vary in size; about ten, feet, including the tail, may be taken as an average size of a full-grown male. The body is covered with short close hair of rufous shades, with black stripes arranged irregularly, and varying from single streaks to loops and bands. The under-surface is white, and in many individuals there is some white on the face. In the males there is a kind of ruff formed by the long hair extending from the ears round the cheeks. Tigers are principally found in grassy plains or swamps, and the striped colouring harmonises well with the reedy growth of the latter. They take readily to water, and swim well; but, unlike the smaller cats, they do not take to trees, unless pressed by fear. They feed on game-birds pigs, cattle, and deer, and, when from age or injury unable to hunt their prey, become "man-eaters," frequenting the neighbourhood of villages, and lying in wait for passers-by. Sanderson says that "man-eaters" are as cowardly as they are cunning, and discriminate with wonderful sagacity between an armed, man and a possible victim. The loss of human life in the East from these animals is very considerable, and tiger-bunting is a favourite sport with European sportsmen. The females produce from two to six cubs at a litter, and the young remain wlth the dam till their third year.