Tantanoola Tiger 1904

The obituary notice of the original Tantanoola tiger was written some nine years ago, and yet the annual has been frequently seen since, if "reliable" residents in the western district of Victoria are to be believed. Its most recent appearance was at Snake Valley, near Ballarat, but the residents of the South-East refuse to recognise the Victorian production as having any claim to the name of Tantanoola. The most complete proof that the beast which infested the neighborhood of Tantanoola cannot be in Victoria is that his stuffed skin is still to be seen in the possession of the man who put a bullet through it when it was about the size of a sheep near Mount Salt, on the Mount Schanck run. Corroborative evidence is found in the facts that the children in the Tantanoola district are not afraid to go to sleep as they were a few years ago, that the loss of sheep on the Coola and Mount Schanck runs is not as great as it was, and that station managers, boundary-riders, and station hands have no reports to make of having seen the monster, of having come across its tracks, "very like a dog's, but larger," or of having found mutilated sheep. A representative of The Advertiser saw the stuffed "tiger" at Mr. T. Donovan's home last week. It is as fierce looking as ever, and displays a formidable set of teeth, but it is now only 2 ft. 2 in. high. Originally it was 2 ft. 6 in. Its diminished height is explained by the fact that it has shrunk slightly and that an intrepid youngster recently jumped on its back and used it as a rocking horse. The value of the "tiger," like its height, is less than it was. Immediately, after it was shot £300 was offered for it, but the owner believed more was to be realised by its exhibition in the city and South-Eastern towns. He has since often regretted his mistake. Those who have gained by the destruction of the half-bred wolf, which it was pronounced to be, are the sheepowners, but in then again Mr. Donovan has not shared.

A boundary rider in the Germanton district (Vic.) reports a sensational experience. He had been out chasing a wild dog, when suddenly on animal resembling a tiger made its appearance. The dogs at once abandoned the chase of the dingo and ran cowering to the horse's legs, as if for protection, and the animal itself showed uneasiness. The animal, whatever it was, did not offer to attack the party, and presently it disappeared. It is described as being 4ft. high, 5ft. long, with a short chubby head and pug nose, a tail 2ft. long, and with a large brush. One ear was pricked and the other lopped. The bristles of the creature stood up a couple of inches from head to tail. The same animal is reported to have been seen weeks ago by a local resident who was driving to Germanton. In this case also some dogs evinced signs of terror, and ran under a buggy.--"Age."