THE CLOUDED TIGER.[24]
This animal, which is about intermediate in size between the great Cats, such as the Lion, Tiger, or Leopard, and the lesser kinds, such as the Ocelot, Eyra, or Tiger-Cats, is, as far as the markings of the skin are concerned, one of the most beautiful animals in the whole family. The ground-colour of the skin is not so fine as that of the Tiger, being a light buff instead of a rich orange-tawny, but the large, irregular, cloud-like patches of black are far more exquisite than the parallel bands of the Tiger; and, indeed, the only animal which in any way approaches it in the beauty of its markings is the Ocelot,and from this the Clouded Tiger certainly bears the palm. Its form is not particularly graceful, as its legs are short in comparison with the length of its body, and its snout, though longer than that of most Cats, is blunt and somewhat awkward. One of the chief beauties of this creature, however, is its magnificent tail, which is fully four-fifths the length of the body (the latter being some forty inches long), and handsomely ringed with black. The skull is much elongated, especially its facial portion, and bears a strong resemblance to that of the extinctFelis smilodon. The pupil is oblong and erect, not round, as in all the preceding species.
CLOUDED TIGER.
CLOUDED TIGER.
The Clouded Tiger, orRimau Dahan, is found in Siam, Assam, Borneo, Java, Sumatra, and the Malayan Peninsula. It was first introduced to Great Britain by Sir Stamford Raffles, who brought two specimens with him to England, of which he gives the following interesting account:—
“Both specimens above mentioned, while in a state of confinement, were remarkable for good temper and playfulness; no domestic kitten could be more so. They were always courting intercourse with persons passing by, and in the expression of their countenance, which was always open and smiling, showed the greatest delight when noticed, throwing themselves on their backs, and delighting in being tickled and rubbed. On board the ship there was a small Musi Dog, who used to play round the cage and with the animal, and it was amusing to observe the playfulness and tenderness with which the latter came in contact with his inferior-sized companion. When fed with a fowl that had died, he seized the prey, and after sucking the blood and tearing it a little, he amused himself for hours in throwing it about and jumping after it in the manner that a Cat plays with a Mouse before it is quite dead. He never seemed to look on man or children as prey, but as companions, and the natives assert that when wild they live principally on poultry, birds, and the smaller kind of deer. They are not found in numbers, and may be considered rather a rare animal, even in the southern part of Sumatra. Both specimens were procured from the interior of Bencoolen, on the banks of the Bencoolen River. They are generally found in the vicinity of villages, and are not dreaded by the natives, except as faras they may destroy their poultry. The natives assert that they sleep and often lie in wait for their prey on trees; and from this circumstance they derive the name ofDahan, which signifies the fork formed by the branch of a tree, across which they are said to rest, and occasionally stretch themselves.
“Both specimens constantly amused themselves in frequently jumping and clinging to the top of their cage, and throwing a somerset, or twisting themselves round in the manner of a Squirrel when confined, the tail being extended and showing to great advantage when so expanded.”
Besides the localities we have mentioned, the Clouded Tiger is described by Consul Swinhoe as existing in Hainan, and he gives a curious quotation respecting the animal from a native paper, theHainan Gazetteer:—“Pao, or Leopard, resembling a Tiger in form, with white fur and round head. Those with spots like cash (Chinese coin) are called the ‘Golden-cash Leopard’ (Felis pardus). Those with spots shaped like the mint-leaf are called Mint Leopard (F. macrocelis). They dread Snakes. Hwai Nantzse has the following couplet:—‘Snakes command the Leopard to stand: all creatures have their masters.’”
There was in 1876 a fine specimen in the Zoological Gardens, but it was not always to be seen, as it was kept during the day fastened up in one of the little sleeping apartments at the back of a cage in the Lion-house, and was let out only for about half an hour before the Gardens closed. It was well worth stopping to see. As soon as the iron door of its cell was raised, it would come out into the large cage with a peculiarly sailor-like slouch, for owing to the shortness of its legs its gait was quite different to that of an ordinary Cat, and altogether less elegant. The expression of the face, too, was neither savage, nor majestic, nor intelligent, but rather dull and stupid. It was fond of assuming all sorts of queer attitudes. Brehm describes one as lying prone on a thick branch placed in its cage, with all four legs hanging down straight, two on each side of the branch, certainly a remarkable position for an animal to assume of its own free will.
OCELOT.
OCELOT.