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THE TANTANOOLA TIGER.
SHOT BY MR. T. DONOVAN.
DECLARED TO BE A WOLF.
It could hardly have been suspected that
there existed such a deep interest in the Tan-
tanoola "tiger" as was exhibited by the public of
Mount Gambier on Wednesday afternoon and
evening, when it was reported that the widely
famous animal had been shot, and that its
carcase had been brought to Mount Gambier.
The news spread rapidly, for everyone who
heard of it, thought it his duty to tell everyone
else as much as he know about it, and in some
cases a good deal more. Everyone was anxious
to learn about it, and greedily listened to the
most exaggerated details. The news of the
death of the beast was brought by Mr. Thomas
Donovan, of Nelson, on the Glenelg River, a
few minutes before 2 o'clock p.m.; and at the
same time he brought up the carcase of the
animal. Mr. Donovan, it may be here said, is
one of the most experienced and best shots in
the district, having spent many years in
hunting the wildest parts of the country. Last
year he accompanied the police party who were
looking for the tiger in the Duckhole paddock,
for a short time, and lately he has been
searching for Mr. Hannagan's tiger near
Albrecht's creek. Failing to get any trace of
this last beast he resolved to have another look
for the Tantanoola "tiger" that Messrs.
MacLay and Houston recently saw in the
Duckhole paddock of the Mount Schanck run.
To that end, on Tuesday afternoon he left
Nelson, accompanied by Mr. William Taylor,
both being well armed, and drove to Mount
Salt, a part of the Mount Schanck estate, in
the Hundred of Kongorong, and in the evening
saw Mr. R. G. Watson, the manager. It was
their intention to spend a week or more looking
for the animal if they could not find it earlier.
Mr. Donovan was armed with a Winchester
repeating rifle, and Mr. Taylor with a
double barreled gun, the one using bullets
and the other large shot. Mr. Watson
was not disposed to employ any one
to hunt for the beast, and Messrs.
Donovan and Taylor asked him if he would
allow them to camp on the run, and look for
it on their own account. He agreed on
condition they tied up their dogs so as not to
molest the sheep, and Mr. Donovan says that at
their request Mr. Watson recommended them
to a range about four miles west of Mount
Salt, on part of which it was Messrs. MacLay
and Houston said they saw the animal.
He and his companion went out, and camped
for the night, about a mile and a half from
Mount Salt. They were, he said, very early on
the look-out next morning. After traversing a
considerable area of country apart, they met
again at a point about four miles west of the
station. This was soon after daylight. Shortly
before sunrise they saw, at a distance of 300 or
400 yards, in fairly open country, but somewhat
ferny, a mob of sheep very much disturbed and
agitated. They observed that the cause of
their alarm was the presence amongst them of
a large animal, the nature of which they could
not ascertain clearly at that distance, but
which appeared to be a large dog. Presently
they saw it single one from the flock, catch it,
and worry it a bit. This it did three or four
times, quite stupefying its victim. In the
meantime the sportsman crept stealthily up
towards the beast, until they approached with
in about 100 yards. They had seen that when
the beast knocked its victim over it sat up on
its haunches and gleefully watched the effect;
and, taking advantage of one occasion on
which it so sat up, nearly facing him,
Mr. Donovan, taking steady aim, fired at it.
The animal was apparently hard hit, but at
once made off as fast as it could travel. But
its time had come. Having gone 200 yards or
more it fell, and Mr. Donovan and his com-
panion, going up to it, found it dying. The
shot had been a splendid one. The bullet
entered about three inches behind the right
shoulder blade, and came out behind the ribs
on the left side, having gone clean through the
heart. The animal proved to be a male of the dog
kind, different to anything they had ever seen.
Without any delay they carried the carcase to
Mount Salt, and considerably astonished Mr.
Watson, who, without expressing an opinion as
to what it was, concluded it was the animal
that had been frightening people from time to
time in that neighbourhood and was known as
the Tantanoola "tiger," and was a sheep killer.
He believed, he said, that Mr. Gardiner would
suitably reward them for the capture. Mr.
Donovan then brought the carcase to Mount
Gambier, and a few minutes before 2 o'clock
placed it in the hands of Mr. James Marks,
taxidermist, Claraville, to have it flayed and
stuffed, with the view of having it publicly ex-
hibited. When the news circulated that the
beast had been brought to Mr. Marks's there
was great excitement. Dozens of people
visited the place to see it, and amongst
them a representative of the Watch, to
whom Mr. Donovan told his story, as
related above. There was a vast amount of
speculation as to what the animal really was.
Only that it was too big—much too big—it
might answer the description of a dingo.
Some people, therefore, suggested that it might
be a cross between a dingo and some other
large dog. But there was a difficulty there: if
that were the case it would show unmistakeable
evidence of its mongrel origin. The animal
was declared by Mr. Marks and several others
who saw it to be none other than a common
European wolf (Lupus vulgaris or Canis lupus).
When standing it was 2ft. 6in. or 2ft. 7in.
high, but is said to have looked nearly 3ft. when
alive. Its length, from the tip of the muzzle
to the root of the tail was 3ft. 9in., and the
tail 1ft. 3in. more, making a total length of 5ft.
It had a singularly broad, wolf like head, 13in.
from ear-tip to ear-tip. The ears were
shorter and more open than those of the
common dog, and the broad head narrowed
into a sharp black muzzle, the length
from the top of the head to the end of the
nose being 10 inches. The canine teeth were
nearly an inch long, and the rest of
the teeth were very powerful. The eyes were
set somewhat obliquely in the head. The head
was in some respects similar to that of a dingo,
but it was equally like that of a wolf, and more
like that of a wolf as regards the size. The
neck was very massive and shaggy, and the
tail, which was perfectly straight, was a brush
—not a very dense one like a fox's, but some
what like that of a collie dog. The color was
a dark brown along the back and tail, and a
bright fawn or grey on the sides, belly, and
flanks. The head was also fawn; light under-
neath. The legs, which were powerful,
were smooth, of a yellowish color, and
there was not as much long hair on the back
or sides as the natural history authorities would
seem to require in a wolf; but that, it is
thought, may be the effect of age and climate.
The paws would make a large track, similar
to those of a dog, although certainly the two
front toes were closer together than those of a
dog, which is characteristic of the foot of a
wolf. The paw, when spread out in walking,
would make a track perhaps 3½ inches wide,
which is about as broad as the strange tracks
seen in Mr. John's yard, near Tantanoola, in
1893, a rough cast of which was taken, and
is now, we believe, in the Register office
in Adelaide. As we have said, Mr. Marks (at
first), Mr. C. Engelbrecht, who has seen many
wolves in Germany and elsewhere, and other
good judges, declared it to be a common
European wolf. Others who are, at all events,
thoroughly well acquainted with the indigenous
animals of the district, are cautious, and assert
that if it be a native animal it is a singularly
large and rare one. Yesterday Mr. Marks,
after studying his books, said he was disposed
to think it a Syrian wolf, which is always of a
light fawn color.
In "Cassell's Popular Natural History"
vol. II., page 62, the common wolf (Canis lupis)
of Europe is thus described:—"The common
wolf of Western Europe is in height from 27
in. to 29 in. at the shoulder. The general color
on the head, neck, and back is fulvous
(yellowish) grey; the hairs being mostly white
at the root, then annulated with black,
fulvous and white and pointed with black,
those beneath the ears, on the neck, shoulders,
and buttocks being considerably longer,
furnishing a kind of mane, which particularly
protects the throat; all are hard and strong,
especially about the nose and on the ears. The
muzzle is black, the sides of the cheeks and
above the eyes more or less ochry, turning grey
with age. The upper lip and chin are white,
the limbs ochry or dun; and adults have on
the wrists an oblique blackish band. The
sense of smell of the wolf is peculiarly strong.
It can wind its prey from a very considerable
distance. It runs the foot of the animal it is
in pursuit of in the same manner as a dog. Its
track much resembles that of a dog, but it is
longer and broader. The two middle claws
are near together; the outer ones seem wider
apart; the ball of its foot is large, and of the
shape of a heart. The average height of the
common wolf is about 2½ft. before and 2ft. 4in.
behind, and the length of the body, from
the tip of the muzzle to the beginning of the
tail, 3ft. 8in. The average duration of a
wolf 's life is 15 to 20 years. The track is
readily distinguished from that of a dog by the
two middle claws being close together,
while in the dog they are separated."
The common wolf is thus referred to in
"Chambers' Encyclopædia":—"It inhabits
Europe and the northern parts of Asia, its
range extending from the Arctic regions as far
south as the northern parts of Africa and of
India. It is of a yellowish or tawny grey
color, with strong coarse hair, which is longest
on the ears, neck, shoulders, and haunches, but
particularly on the throat; the muzzle is black,
the upper lip a thin white. The ears are great
and pointed, the muzzle sharp; the legs rather
longer than those of the Shepherd's Dog, the
tail bushy, but not curling, the eyes oblique,
giving a peculiar vicious expression to the
countenance. The wolf is swift of foot, and
hunts deer and other animals, packs of wolves
associating for this purpose; it also often
commits great ravages among sheep and attacks
calves, but seldom full-grown oxen. It seldom
attacks man, unless hard pressed by hunger,
when it becomes very dangerous, . . . In
general the wolf is cowardly and stealthy, ap-
proaching sheep folds and farm buildings by night
in search of prey, and readily scared by any
demonstration of watchfulness, fleeing from
dogs, and not readily exposing itself within
range of shot. It defends itself, however, with
great vigor when compelled to do so. It is not
easily trapped." It will perhaps be noted by
the reader and possibly by the people who will
go to see the stuffed animal in Mr. Mac-
Kenzie's rooms to-day, that the creature shot
by Mr. Donovan does not in all respects fill
the bill laid down by the authorities; but Mr.
Marks and others are of opinion that the hair
and markings would be affected by climate
and age, and that the points of identity with
the Canis lupus considerably outweigh the
differences. Mr. Marks lays particular stress
on the character of the hair, which, he says,
does not go through the skin, as in the case of a
dog, and it is set in a kind of fur, which is
never found on dogs. Mr. Daniel, who has
recently seen the wolves in the Adelaide
gardens, is positive the animal is a one of the
same species.
Mr. John Livingston, of Burrungul, who, as
well as Mr. G. Riddoch, M.P., has all along
held that a tiger or some other fierce beast of
prey, not indigenous to the country, haunted
the locality between Mount Salt, German
Creek, and the sea, and who has amid much
discouragement and not a little ridicule, from
time to time given practical proof of that
belief by organizing hunting parties, and (as
stated in the Watch of Wednesday last),
recently employed two men to watch for the
beast seen by Messrs. Houston and MacLay,
is now in a position to turn the laugh at the
jesters. Mr. Livingston rode up to Mount
Gambier on Thursday, on Stock Association
business, and learned on his arrival of the
shooting of the wolf. He went to Mr.
Marks's to see it, but was unfortunate in
finding the taxidermist tanning the skin, which
was turned inside out. He was, therefore,
unable to see more than the head, the feet, and
the general color and character of the hair.
From the description of it which Mr. Marks
gave him he is not quite satisfied that it can be
the same beast that has been described by
Taylor, by Uphill, by Smith, by MacLay, and
others, as being like a royal tiger, "with large
head, outstanding bristles on each side of the
mouth, a striped body, and a long flexible tail,
which curled up at the end," and thinks it pos-
sible that the real Tantanoola "tiger" may be
still at large. It really does seem incompre-
hensible how anyone seeing the beast which
Mr. Donovan has shot, in broad daylight,
should have mistaken it for a tiger. At
several chains distant it would certainly
appear to be a dog; at nearer view it would
appear a large, fierce, and perhaps dangerous
dog; and at still closer quarters its
character as a wolf might be apparent. How-
ever frightened one might be at it, it seems
inconceivable that the idea of a tiger should
come to the mind. At the same time it is highly
improbable that two such animals as a wolf
and a tiger should be roaming in the same
locality in this district.
"How did it get there?" is a problem every-
body would like to unravel; and which will
perhaps never be solved. It is just as extra-
ordinary a thing that a wolf should be there as
a tiger. Perhaps it will appear more extra-
ordinary to the minds of most people, and for
this reason: We had a plausible legend that
something over 15 years ago a travelling men-
agerie lost a tiger cub on the journey between
Mount Gambier and Millicent, and after spend-
ing several days looking for it relinquished the
search. It has been thought that this youngster
survived the trials of cubhood, and developed
into the full-grown Tantanoola tiger. But the
discovery of a wolf was never anticipated. It
is a real surprise, for which we were quite un-
prepared; and no one has yet had time to find
a reasonable surmise as to how the beast got
planted in the district. It seems possible that
it may have been the only survivor of some of
the disastrous wrecks, such as that of the
Geltwood, that have occurred on the adjacent
coast.
Although the shooting of the strange beast
of prey has caused a large amount of excite-
ment here and elsewhere in the district where
the tidings have gone, there are some who are
disappointed that the exit of the creature from
life should have been so devoid of sensation.
Nothing could be more prosaic than the way in
which Mr. Donovan despatched the animal.
It is not quite certain how long a time has
elapsed since the "tiger" was first seen in the
district. Roughly speaking it must be about
10 years. Mr. R. T. White, of near
Tantanoola, was one of the first, perhaps the
first—to see it, and he is said to have observed
it one night on his property, but his discovery
was not made known till long afterwards.
Mr. White thought it was a tiger. In
1891 or 1892 some blackfellows encamped at
Wattle Range heard something which
greatly frightened them and alarmed their
dogs, but they do not appear to have seen any-
thing. In the beginning of 1893 Mr.
W. Taylor and others saw it in the
daylight, but the descriptions given by
them would lead to the inference that it was a
royal tiger, and nothing else. Unbelievers
suggested that it was a dog (although the
descriptions did not warrant that conclusion),
a large pig, a fox, &c. Mr. J. Livingston,
however, was firmly convinced it was a tiger,
and at his instance a search party, consisting of
two mounted troopers and several civilians
spent May 17 of 1893 in the German Greek
country looking for it. They saw nothing but
wallaby and sheep. Last year Mr. W.
Uphill, Mr. Siebey, and Mr. D. Smith
saw the animal near the Duckhole Swamp,
near German Greek, and so great was the
interest aroused that a black-tracker was sent
from Adelaide to run it to earth, and
with two troopers he spent several weeks
in the vicinity of where it was seen.
But with provoking ill-fortune the animal
could not be seen nor traced with any-
thing like certainty, although a trail where it
was supposed to have carried a sheep was fol-
lowed for two miles. More recently Messrs.
MacLay and Houston saw it in the same
locality. That induced Mr. R. G. Watson to
send out a party of men to have a look
for it in the tea-tree, and Mr. Livingston
to engage two men to spend a fortnight there
patiently waiting an opportunity to shoot the
beast. Mr. Watson's men were unsuccessful,
and the fortnight for which the other men
were employed has not yet expired; but
Messrs. Donovan and W. Taylor have probably
deprived them, by their lucky descent on the
wolf-haunted country, of the animal they
were waiting for. Unless indeed another
animal fitting the description of a tiger more
accurately be seen in the same locality in the
future Mr. Donovan will have won himself lasting
fame by having shot the best advertised beast
in Australia—the "Tantanoola tiger."
On Thursday Mr. Marks and Mr. Donovan
received eight or nine telegrams from Adelaide
enquiring what they would take for the wolf,
and two Mount Gambier syndicates approached
them and made definite offers. One Adelaide
gentleman asked what would be the charge for
the loan of it for a week, and others offered them
a share in the profits for a longer term. One of
the Mount Gambier combinations offered £50
for the animal, stuffed, but no sale was made.
Mr. Marks has made a capital job of the
stuffing and mounting of the animal, and it
looks as imposing and fierce as ever it could
have done in life. It is announced that it will
be exhibited this afternoon in Mr. C. Mac-
Kenzie's large room, Penola-road.
$