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Islands of the Mediterranean, and in some places of France near the sea, although the fruit is rarely ripened; but in Arabia, and in those parts of Africa to the eastward of Mount Atlas, countries which produce little corn, this valuable tree fortunately thrives most vigorously, and yields the best fruit. On the borders of the great desert, which approaches to Mount Atlas, the date tree, as it supplies the deficiency of corn, and furnishes nearly the whole of the subsistence of the inhabitants, is cultivated with great care. The date trees are planted at the distance of twelve feet from each other, in the vicinity of streams and rivulets, for the conveniency of supplying them with water, which is necessary at all seasons, but especially during the great heats of summer. When the date palm is raised from seed, it seldom produces fruit before it is twelve or fifteen years old. To obviate this inconveniency they generally prefer the mode of propagation by shoots, which they select from the best and most flourishing trees. These shoots, with proper management, begin to bear fruit in three or four years, although it is not until the plant has reached its fifteenth or twentieth year, that the fruit is in its highest degree of perfection, after which it is said that it continues to flourish vigorously for two or three hundred years. The date crop is gathered about the end of November, and the bunches are hung up to dry in an airy situation. A very extensive trade in dates is carried on with the interior districts of Africa, and great quantities are exported to different parts of Europe.

The Talipat, or Palm of Ceylon, is said to blossom only once during its existence, when it dies shedding around it the seeds of a future generation. It grows to the height of one hundred feet and upwards, and its leaf is so large that it will cover from sixteen to twenty men, like an umbrella. Strips of these leaves prepared in milk are used instead of paper to write upon. Its pith very much resembles sago. Its nuts are about the size of a twenty-four pound cannon ball.

Encyclopedia Edinensis.

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ALL animals of the cat kind are chiefly distinguished by their sharp and formidable claws, which they can hide or extend at pleasure. They are all remarkable for their rapacity, subsisting entirely on the flesh and blood of other animals. The dog, wolf, and bear, are sometimes known to live on vegetables, or farinaceous food; but the lion, the tiger, the leopard, and other animals of this class, devour nothing but flesh, and would starve upon any other provision. They are in general fierce, subtle, cruel, unfit for society among each other, and incapable of adding to human happiness. They lead a solitary, ravenous life, uniting neither for mutual defence, like vegetable feeders, nor for mutual support, like those of the dog kind. The whole of this cruel and ferocious tribe seek their food alone; and, unless at certain seasons, are even enemies to each other.

The first of the class is the Lion, distinguished from all the rest by his strength, his magnitude, and his mane. The second is the Tiger, rather longer than the lion, but not so tall, and known by the streaks and vivid beauty of its skin; here we may also mention the Puma, Couguar, or American Lion, as approaching the tiger in size, but of a tawny colour. The third is the Panther, Leopard, and Jaguar. The fourth is the Ounce, not so large as any of the former, spotted like them, but distinguished by the cream-coloured ground of its hair, and a tail so long as to exceed the length of its body. The fifth is the Catamountain, or Tiger-Cat, less than the ounce, but differing particularly in having a shorter tail, and being streaked down the back like a tiger. The sixth is the Lynx, of the size of a fox, with its body streaked, and the tips of its ears tufted with black. The seventh is the Syagush or Persian Lynx, not so large as the lynx, nor mottled like it, but with longer ears, tipped also with black. The eighth is the Serval, shaped and streaked like the lynx, but not having the tips of its ears tufted. Lastly, the Cat, wild and tame, with all its varieties; less than any of the former, but like them insidious, rapacious, and cruel.

The Tiger is one of the most beautiful, but at the same time, one of the most rapacious and destructive of the whole animal race. It is almost confined to the warm climates of the east, especially India and Siam. It so much resembles the cat, as almost to induce us to consider the latter a tiger in miniature. It lurks generally near a fountain, or on the brink of a river, to surprise such animals as come to quench their thirst; and like the lion, bounds upon its prey, easily making a spring of twenty feet and upwards. When it has killed one, it often goes to destroy others, swallowing their blood at large draughts, for which it has an insatiable thirst; for even when satisfied with food, it is not satiated with slaughter. The tiger is said by some to prefer human flesh to that of any other animal; and it is certain that it does not, like many other beasts of prey, shun the presence of man, but has been even known on more than one occasion, to spring upon a hunting party when seated at their refreshment, and carry off one of the number, rushing with its victim through the shrubs into the forest, where it devoured the unfortunate man. The strength as well as the agility of this animal is wonderful; it carries off a deer with the greatest ease, and will even carry off a buffalo. The tiger is not spotted, like the panther, leopard, and ounce, but ornamented with long streaks quite across its body. The ground colour is yellow, very deep on the back, but growing lighter towards the belly, where it softens to white, as also on the throat and the inside of the legs. The bars which cross the body from the back to the belly are of the most beautiful black, and the skin altogether is so extremely fine and glossy, that it is much esteemed, and sold at a high price in all the eastern countries, especially China. The ferocity of the tiger can never be wholly subdued; for neither gentleness nor restraint can make any impression on his savage

nature.

An incident lately occurred in a menagerie, illustrative of the different dispositions of the lion and tiger. The keeper had unwarily trod upon the latter, when the ferocious animal at once seized him with its teeth:

the lion immediately sprung upon the tiger and rescued the man.

Of all the tribe whose skins are so beautifully spotted, and whose natures are so mischievous, the Panther may be considered the foremost. It has often been mistaken for the tiger, which it approaches in size, fierceness, and beauty. There is, however, one obvious distinction,— the panther is spotted, while the tiger is streaked. The panther, besides, can be tamed, and has been known to go about at large, quite harmless, and showing a strong attachment to its master.

The Leopard of Senegal is smaller than the panther, but has a much more beautiful coat; the yellow is more brilliant, and the spots are smaller, disposed in clusters, and not in rings, like those of the panther. Both the panther and the leopard abound in the interior of Africa, and are the scourge of the country, the panther being extremely destructive among the camels and horses, while the leopard commits dreadful havoc among the goats, sheep, and smaller animals. They also climb trees in pursuit of monkeys.

The Jaguar, or Panther of America, though ferocious in his wild state, becomes tame and mild when a captive, and even licks the hands of those with whom he is familiar. He is an excellent swimmer; and can climb to the tops of high trees without branches, by fixing his claws in the trunk. He sometimes takes fish by the following artifice: he drops his spittle on the water, which entices the fish to the surface; as they approach he dexterously knocks them out of the water upon the shore by a stroke of his paw.

The Ounce is much less than the panther, being seldom above three feet and a half long, while the panther is six. The tail of the ounce, however, is much longer, as is also its hair, which on the back is an inch and a half long, and on the belly two inches and a half. The skin of the ounce inclines to a cream colour, deeper on the back, and whiter below.

The Catamountain, or Ocelot, a native of South America, is one of the fiercest, and, for its size, one of the most destructive animals in the world. Having great

agility, these animals easily find and overtake their prey, which they pursue among the tops of trees, as well as on the ground; but what renders them still more mischievous, is the unceasing appetite rather for the blood than the flesh of their prey. They suck this with the greatest avidity, but frequently leave the carcase otherwise untouched, in order to pursue other animals for the blood in like manner. They generally continue on the tops of trees, like our wild cats, where they make their nest, and often bring forth their young. When they spy an animal they can master, and there are few in the American forest that are not inferior, they dart on it with inevitable exactness. The catamountain is less than the ounce, being only two feet and a half in length. The fur is of a reddish colour, beautified with black spots, and streaks of different figures.

The Lynx has short legs, and is generally about the size of a fox. The ears are erect, and tipped with a long pencil of black hair. The fur, which is long and thick, is of a pale grey colour, with a reddish tinge, and obscurely marked with small dusky spots on the upper parts of the body. The under parts are white. It does not walk or run like the wolf in a progressive motion, but leaps and bounds like the cat. It gains its whole subsistence by devouring other animals, and these it will follow to the very tops of trees. Neither the martin, the ermine, nor the squirrel, can escape its pursuit. It also seizes birds, lies in wait for the stag, the roebuck, and the hare, and with one bound often seizes them by the throat. When in possession of its prey, it first sucks the blood, and then lays open the head, to devour the brains. This done, it generally abandons the victim of its fury, goes in search of fresh prey, and is seldom known to return to the former. The most beautiful skins of the lynx are brought from Siberia and Canada.

The Caracal, or Persian Lynx, common in Persia, India, Barbary, and other parts of Asia and Africa, resembles the common Lynx in figure and aspect, and nearly corresponds in size; but its hair is rougher, and it is not spotted. In disposition it is equally ferocious.

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