Page:Babyhood of Wild Beasts.djvu/139

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been validated.
BABY TIGERS
113

backwards and drives his quills full force into the face and mouth of his assailant. In order to secure him without being wounded, the Tiger must leap to the side, avoiding the rush, and dispatch Mr. Prickly Porcupine with a sharp blow on the snout. The safety of baby Tigers lays in concealment. While their parents are hunting, the babies lay as still as mice in the tall grass or in the lair. The smell of the Tigers warns other animals of their nearness, and they are given a wide berth, for the presence of the parents are suspected, though they may be miles away on a hunting trip, and no beast cares to encounter the Tiger, for he is the king of the Asiatic animals and has the right of way in the jungle.

The first principle in a Tiger's education is patience. This is difficult for young animals to exercise, as well as for humans; and Mrs. Tiger often administers a sound box on the ears of her children for lack of concentration and for carelessness.

Carl Hagenbeck, the wizard of wild animal trainers, writes of a beautiful tiger, which he had in his possession for over a year. He made a