Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 97, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 August 1899 — SHOT A WHITE TIGER. [ARTICLE]

SHOT A WHITE TIGER.

Curious Feline Phenomenon Is Killed in Assam. There are white leopards and black leopards, and neither Is very common, but white tigers and black tigers are the rarest of wild beasts. A white tiger wks, however, shot in Assam in February last. The animal was shot by W. H. Greenish, manager of the Naharkutia tea estate in upper Assam, and the skin sent to Mr. Newing, a Calcutta taxidermist. Mr. Newing has given the following particulars to the Englishman, a Calcutta newspaper: “Under process of curing, in which stage it Is at present, the skin measures 9 feet 6 inches from the nose to the tip of the tail, but on completion of the process another ten inches will be added to its present length. The color of the skin le a beautiful white, while the stripes, though not very clearly indicated at present, establish its identity as a genuine tiger skin, even did Its length fall to bear out that belief. “When the skin Is properly cured and dried the marks will show quite distinctly.” Mr. Newing says that in the whole eighteen years during which he has exercised his calling he has not only never seen but never heard of such a thing before as a white tiger. A correspondent of the same Calcutta paper points out that, though extremely rare, white tigers are not unknown. Early in the century a specimen was on view at the Exeter Change and was figured by Griffith for Cuvier. Another was obtained by Major Robinson of the Lancaster Fusiliers, near Poona, In the Bombay presidency, and either this one or another has been recorded by Howard Saunders. Colonel Goodwin Austen was aware of yet another specimen. Black tigers are still more rare, & single specimen seen by C. T. Buckland near Chittagong being the only one on record.