It is recorded by Mr. Pennant, that, in the beginning of the last century as a British party in India were indulging themselves in rural recreation and festivity, totally unsuspicious of danger, an immense tiger was seen advancing towards them, and was so near as to be almost in the act to bound upon them. Dismay and consternation instantly pervaded every individual present but one, who was a lady, and who, a with prompt ness and self-possession probably never exceeded, furled a large umbrella in the face of the tiger, and thus most happily effected its retreat. The catastrophe of Mr. Monro, in similar circumstances, was recorded by one of his companions, and may be not improperly noticed in this connection. In the year 1792, several British gentlemen, together with Mr. Monro, went to shoot deer on Sangar island, on the shores of which they observed innumerable traces of the feet of both these animals, not only of the deer, but of the tiger. They continued their sport, however, for a very considerable time; and after completing it, were sitting down for refreshment near a jungle, when a tiger, with a most horrible roar, darted from the jungle, and seizing on Mr. Monro, hurried back with him to the thicket, dragging him through the thickest bushes with amazing rapidity, and making every thing bend and yield to its prodigious strength. A tigress accompanied it in its progress. The tiger was fired at by the two remain ing gentlemen, and was obliged to drop its prey; and in a few moments after wards, their unfortunate friend was advancing towards them weltering in his blood. He had received, however, such deep wounds from the teeth and claws of the tiger, as precluded the possibility of recovery, and after twenty-four hours of agony, he expired. The scene was dreadful beyond all the expression of words. At the time of the assault, an immense fire of several whole trees was burning by the spot, and shortly after their departure from these fatal shores the gentlemen observed the tigress to make her re-appearance, in all the agitation of unbounded fierceness and disappointed vengeance. The tigress produces but one litter, consisting generally of five young in a year. In her defence of these, that fury, which, even in ordinary times, seems to mark her character, is wrought up to a paroxysm, in which she defies all danger, and exposes herself frequently to certain destruction. See Mammalia, Plate XIV. fig. 3. F. pardus, the panther. It was for some time a question, whether the panther were not to be found in the new as well as in the old world; it is now, however, fully ascertained not to belong to America. It is found in Africa, from the coast of Barbary to the south of Guinea, in the last of which it is found in considerable numbers. Its length is about six feet and a half without the tail, which generally tawny yellow, thickly studded along the measures three; its colour is a bright upper part of its body, with circles of black spots containing a single spot in the centre. It is extremely ferocious, and its depredations in Africa resemble those of the tiger in Asia; though the panther, indeed, abstains, unless when urged by extreme hunger, from attack on man. Its mode of attack is always by surprise, and bursting from the thicket with an imtreme silence and caution on its belly, it mense spring, or approaching with ex. lights instantly upon its prey, and the moment of alarm is made by it, frequently, the moment of destruction. In China, where the skins of beautiful and brilliant numerous. See Mammalia, Plate XIV. F. leopardus, or the leopard. This animal is principally distinguished from the preceding by its less lively yellow colour, its inferior size, and the closer arrangement of the spots with which it is diversified. Its manners are similar to those of the panther, and both inhabit the same territories. Among the vast herds of Lower Guinea they commit the most destructive havoc; and when they are impelled by hunger, every creature is exposed to their attack. They are often taken in pit-falls by the negroes, who highly value their flesh, which in appearance, is not a little like that of veal; their teeth are arranged in fanciful dispositions by the women of the country, and hung about their necks and arms, both as amulets and ornaments; and their skins are exported to various parts of Europe, where they are particularly admired, and are sold for corresponding prices. There is in India a variety of this species trained with great success to hunt the antelope and other beasts. It is conveyed in a small vehicle to the spot of its intended exertions, and chained and hooded till it is let down as near to the herd as is thought convenient; it then makes every effort to reach them unobserved, advancing with extreme vigilance and caution, and when it perceives itself in a proper situation, it rushes with a succession of amazing bounds, five or six in number, towards its destined object, and is almost uniformly successful in securing it. On failure it returns to its owner, and after a short interval recommences its efforts, See Mammalia, Plate XIV. fig. 1. F. uncia, or the ounce, is about three feet and a half in length, and has a skin beautifully varied with single spots, or oval collections of them, on a light-grey ground-colour. It is a native of China, Persia, and Barbary. Its sense of smell is not extremely acute, but its eye possesses exquisite discernment, on which account it is disciplined to the chase with wonderful success; and so gentle are its manners, that it is taken to the hunt on the crupper of the horse, behind its own. er. It is not remarkable for speed in running, or at least for a continuance of rapid exertion, and is, indeed, incapable of it; but it seizes its prey by a few rapid bounds, in which it displays astonishing nimbleness and dexterity. It frequently ascends trees, from which it may dart on any animals leisurely and fearlessly pass ing beneath. F. onca, the jaguar, is the most formidable of all the animals found in the new continent, and abounds particularly in the Deserts of Guiana; in passing which the Indians, who have an extreme dread of this animal, always kindle fires to keep it at a distance. In some of its manners and habits, it strongly resembles the tiger. It sucks the blood previous to devouring the flesh of its prey, in pursuit of which it is very swift, and will ascend trees of the loftiest and smoothest kind with astonishing facility; its howl is terrific. The female is said to produce two young at a birth. Its ground colour is a light brownish-yellow, which is varied with streaks and open spots of black. It is rather larger than a wolf, but is said to find a formidable, and often fatal, antago nist in the ant-eater, which, on being attacked by the jaguar, throws itself on its back, and with its long claws fixes on hið throat, and kills him by suffocation. F. concolor, the brown tiger, puma or cougouar. The body is tawny, immacu late, thin and long, beneath whitish, been called the American lion. It is the largest of the American beasts prey, and is extremely fierce and raven ous. It inhabits in many parts from Canada to Florida, and is found also in Mexico and Brazil. In the warmer cli mates it possesses its greatest perfection in vigour and courage, and will frequently cross rapid torrents to seize cattle grazing in inclosures near the habitations of man. It has been known to attack a wolf. It is a formidable enemy to the moose-deer, and others of that tribe; and will often mount trees to watch the ani mals that pass beneath, selecting the victims of its rapacity, and quitting them only after having exhausted their last drop of blood. This fierce animal, strange as it may appear, if taken young, is trained to become as inoffensive nearly as the common cat, like which animal also it purs; and will permit, without rage or resentment, all the rough caresses and violent gambols of boys. When satiated with food, it conceals the remainder. The fur is used in the dress of the Aborigines, and the flesh is much esteemed by them as an article of food. F. discolor, or the black tiger, is considered by many only as a variety of the former species. It is exceedingly strong in its limbs, and attains the size of a heifer of a year old. It is found in Brazil and Guiana; and is rapacious and savage in its disposition; and fortunately, therefore, not abundant. It eats the buds of the Indian fig occasionally, but more frequently the eggs of turtles deposited on the shore. Lizards, fishes, and young alligators, are all made prey by it. It swims with great rapidity. In quest of the alligator it employs the stratagem of lying down on its belly at the edge of the water, and striking it with its paws; the noise and motion induce the alligator to lift its head above the surface, when the claw of the black tiger is instantly fixed in its eye, and drags it to the lard. F. pardalis, or ocelot, is about four times the size of a domestic cat, the shape of which it extremely resembles, and is one of the most beautiful of all variegated quadrupeds. It is a native of South America, and particularly destructive, which may be, in a great degree, accounted for, from the circumstance of its seldom devouring the flesh of animals, rather thirsting, with insatiable avidity, for their blood. In the mountainous tracts of Mexico and Brazil these animals are abundant, hiding themselves amidst the foliage of trees, whence they spring upon their prey beneath. They are reported frequently to stretch themselves out motionless on the branches of trees, to induce the monkey to approach and examine them, which, with his usual curio sity, he is in such circumstances prompted to do; this curiosity, however, is only the instant prelude to his destruction. These animals are scarcely capable of being tamed, and in captivity display incessant restlessness and ferocity. F. tigrina, or the Cayenne cat, resembles the wild cat in size, habit, and character; is most elegantly spotted with black on a tawny ground, and is frequently to be found in various parts of South America. It is extremely wild and untameable. The spotted species of this genus of animals have been often so imperfectly marked by travellers, that much remains to be done before a complete description of them can be obtained; and the remoteness of their haunts from human habitations, which can be approached only amidst dangers insuperable by all but extraordinary minds and constitutions, will, there is reason to presume, long preclude their correct definition and full detail. F. catus, or the common cat. The numerous varieties of the domestic cat are supposed to have proceeded from a race native in the north of Europe and Asia. In the wild state, its tail is somewhat shorter than in the state of domestication; its head is more flat, and its limbs are more muscular and bony. The general colour of the wild cat is that of a pale yellowish-grey, with dusky stripes and variegations; there are, however, great varieties both of colour and size. Wild cats are found not only in Europe and Asia, but also in America, where they existed before its discovery by Columbus. In Great Britain they are found chiefly in the mountainous and woody districts of the Island; and, as being the most rapacious quadrupeds in the country, have been designated by Mr. Pennant as the British tigers. They range oy night in quest of prey, and commit fatal depredations on kids, poul. try, and lambs; they likewise devour hares, small birds, and various species of vermin. They breed and principally reside in trees; and are equally prolific with the domestic cat. In the neighbourhood of the former the latter will often quit his residence for a short time, and after associating during this interval with the wild cat, will return to its former mansion. These animals are frequently destroyed by means both of traps and guns; the latter of which mode, however, is attended with some danger, as, if only slightly wounded, they will, without hesitation, attack the assailant in their turn, and inflict no contemptible revenge. In the county of Cumberland one of these animals was killed, not many years since, which measured from its nose to the end of its tail upwards of five feet. The cat is generally imagined to see best in the dark; and so peculiar is the structure of its eye, that the pupil is capable of contraction and dilatation, in proportion to the degree of light affecting it. This cir cumstance gives it a most important advantage in exploring and seizing its prey. The character and manners of these animals, in their state of domestication, are so generally known as almost to preclude the necessity of at all noticing them. Their expressions, whether of pain, anger, or love, are piercing, clamorous, and extremely harsh and hideous to the human ear. On the utterance of the sounds of distress by a single individual, multitudes will often assemble, and appear to express their compassion by the most disgusting squalls and yellings. The result, however, frequently is, that the sufferer from disease or accident, from which the origi nal call proceeded, is torn to pieces by its companions, who, not uncommonly, afterwards fall upon each other with the most savage fierceness, inflicting wounds and death without the least sensibility or discrimination. These sanguinary contests are uniformly carried on by night, and instances are related, on respectable authority, in which they have been conducted with the most destructive havoc. Cats are remarkably fond of certain perfumes, both vegetable or mineral; and on this account are often very injurious to a garden or green-house, destroying the plants to which they are so partial. Cold and wet are avoided by these creatures with particular care, and their habits are particularly neat and cleanly, their fur being preserved by them, until in extreme age, from the slightest soil; and the most elegant and splendid furniture being in no danger from annoyance by them. The female is frequently obliged to conceal her young from the male, to preclude their being injured and even devoured by him; yet, in some instances, the female herself has been ascertained, in opposition to one of the most grand and prevailing instincts of nature, to eat them immediately on producing them; in general, however, the young are nursed with particular attention and affection, and the accommodation of the parent to the sportive propensities and varying gambols of the kitten constitutes to the humane, and even the philosophic mind, an interesting spectacle. With respect to human beings, even those which have long protected and befriended it, the cat appears little susceptible of kind attachment on the change of habitations, quitting the family with which it had always lived, and returning to apartments to which, indeed, it had been long used, but where it could recognize no human friend. In this respect its manners exhibit a most disadvantageous contrast to those of the dog, which are in the highest degree social, affectionate, and grateful. The cat, however, often lives in habits of friendly intercourse with various animals in a state of similar domestication with itself, and to which, in a state of nature, it feels an almost unconquerable hostility. A French lady, of some eminence, by persevering attention and discipline, at length succeeded in accomplishing the extraordinary exploit of habituating her dog and cat, her bird and mouse, to take their food from the same plate. Cats, though in general by no means profound sleepers, often, and particularly in the depth of winter, and on the approach of snow, can be roused from their sleep only with extreme difficulty; and will, on these occasions, exhale a fragrance similar to that of cloves. On rubbing the backs of these animals the electric spark is immediately felt, and the Leyden vial may, in frosty weather, be charged from this source, by means of a connecting wire and a glass-footed stool. Those who are pleased with contemplating the operations of animated surprise or curiosity, in any of the productions of nature, will be not a little entertained by the experiment of placing before a young cat, for the first time, a looking-glass; its delight at the figure thus exhibited is soon allayed by that impossibility of touching it, which it finds to all its attempts; it at length looks behind the glass, and with great sudden- F. lynx, or the lynx, is remarkable for scream. The fur of these animals is an important article of commerce. The farther north they are taken, the whiter and more valuable they are; and the winter furs are preferable to the summer ones. The length of a Russian lynx, from nose to tail, is four feet six inches. The lynx of the ancients appears to have been the creature of imagination. See Mammalia, Plate XIV. fig. 4. From the lion to the common cat, through all the intermediate species of this abundant genus, a strong resemblance exists in form, internal structure, and habits; the shortness of the intestines, the sharpness and number of the teeth, the structure of the feet and claws, are the same in all; they all feed on flesh, which they rather tear than masticate; they eat with slowness, and during the repast growl almost perpetually, as if apprehensive of its being intercepted from them; they all seize upon their prey by crafty approach and stealthy stratagem, rather than by open and intrepid attack. These are the animals from which, man has most to apprehend, and which have hitherto, in every age, more or less, carried on hostilities against him. The pow er of some creatures is greater, but their tempers are less ferocious, and they exercise their strength, not in acts of aggression, but only in those of retaliation; and others, while they are inexpressibly more numerous, are, at the same time, destitute of any formidable powers of annoy. ance, and fly from the sight of man with the greatest rapidity and alarm. But between man and the feline tribe a contest for dominion is kept up over extensive regions of the globe, many of them high. ly ornamented and productive, and calculated to become the abodes of harmony and civilization. FELLOWSHIP, or Company, in arithmetic, is when two or more join their stocks and trade together, dividing their gain or loss proportionably. Fellowship is either with or without time. Questions without time, or in the single rule of fellowship, as it is frequently called, are wrought by the following proportion. As the whole stock to the whole gain or loss, so is each man's particular stock to his particular share of gain or loss. Suppose three partners, A, B, and C, make a joint stock in this manner: A, puts in 247.; B, 324,; and C, 301.: in all 961.; with which they trade, and gain 121.; required each man's true share of that gain? The first operation for A's part of the gain will stand thus : L. 1. A's stock, 65 x 2. B's stock, 78 x 3. C's stock, 84 X Proof, 31.41. + 51. + 121. the whole gain. That is, if the total of all their particular gains amounts to the whole gain, the work is true; if not, some mistake has been committed. FELLOWSHIP with time, usually called the Double Rule of Fellowship, because every man's money is to be considered with relation to the time of its continuance in the joint stock. It is worked thus: multiply each man's stock by the respective time he puts it in for, and add all the products, the total of which must be your first number through all the statings; the gain or loss the second, as before, and each man's particular stock, multiplied by its time, the third. Note, the times and sums, (if not so given) must be reduced into one denomination, i. e. all years, all months, all weeks, or all days, &c. Ex. Three merchants, A, B, and C, enter into partnership thus: A puts into the stock 651. for eight months; B puts in 781. for twelve months: and C puts in 841. for six months: with this joint stock they traffic, and gain 1667. 12s. : it is required to find each man's share of the gain proportionable to his stock and time of employing it. 8 months, the time it was employed 12 months, the time it was employed 6 months, the time it was employed = 520 =936 = 504 The sum of all those products is 1900 |