Note: Information is dated. Do not rely on it.

Tiger. The largest and most dangerous of the Felidae, exceeding the lion slightly in size, and far surpassing him in destructiveness. It is purely Asiatic in its habitat, but is not by any means confined to the hot plains of India, though there it reaches its highest development, both of size and coloration. According to Fayrer, the full-grown male Indian tiger is from nine to twelve and the tigress from eight to ten feet from the nose to the tip of the tail, and from thirty-six to forty-two inches high at the shoulder. The ground color of the skin is rufous or tawny yellow, shaded with white on the ventral surface. This is varied with vertical black stripes or elongated ovals and brindlings. On the face and posterior surface of the ears the white markings are peculiarly well developed. The depth of the ground color and the intensity of the black markings vary according to the age and condition of the animal. In old tigers the ground becomes more tawny, of a lighter shade, and the black markings better defined. The ground coloring is more dusky in young animals.

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