"KILLS" BY CARNIVOROUS ANIMALS. 315 



throat. Presently the goat gave a convulsive shudder — the only 

 movement we discerned — and all was over. The panther, who was 

 lying down, raised itself with the goat's throat still in its mouth, and with 

 a quick turn of its neck threw the head away, and it fell with a dull, 

 sickly thud on to the leaf-laden ground. The critical, moment had now 

 arrived, and we no longer escaped observation. I had hoped to see the 

 brute start feeding, but this was not to be, for almost at once his gaze 

 fell on us and he bolted. This case, therefore, illustrated nothing mora 

 than what we had, to all intents and purposes, seen and noted before. 

 Case 3. — 



The end of March offers opportunities in parts of the Dharwar 

 District not easily to be beaten. April brings with it a succession 

 of thunderstorms which end in filling every excavation with water 

 and in keeping them filled. Two hot weathers ago I remember to 

 have noticed, when too late, the existence of an unusual spring on high- 

 lying ground surrounded by forest reserves, and quite two miles from 

 the nearest inhabited village. This spring, emerging from two separate 

 points on a small hillside, fed a " Nulla " with two branches, and 

 disappeared subterraneously after traversing a distance of about 150 

 yards. 1 had dammed up the lower section when water was so scarce 

 the year before with great success and benefit to the surrounding villagers 

 who were thus able to water their famishing cattle. The spot was, in 

 many respects, an ideal one for my present purpose. An enormous 

 banyan tree (Ficus bengalensis) was available ; panthers constantly 

 drank there, and all that was necessary was the cutting of the tall 

 tufted grass in a strip to give us a clear view from the tree. 



On the night of the 23rd March last I had a " kill " ; the conditions 

 were essentially favorable j the moon was all but full, and water else- 

 where very scarce. 



6-5 p.m. — In position in two matchans well sheltered by leaves ; 

 chetal " belling " to our left ; slight breeze from the same side (west) ; 

 my wife, watch in hand, entering all times. 



6-26 p.m. — Suddenly saw a goodsized panther standing bolt up-rioht 

 to the right in the grass and in full view. He was looking from side to 

 side with the evening sun shining on his beautiful glossy skin. Might 

 have been standing thus for a few seconds before we actually saw him ; 

 and almost immediately he started the stalk. The grass being of some 

 length there was very little crouching at first; the approach was slow 

 and noiseless ; the distance from the bait about thirty yards. Getting 



