346 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HTSTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XV, 



so as to get it pointed in the direction of the beast. Finally the panther reach- 

 ed the point of the large branch of the next tree which I have mentioned above, 

 just glided up on to it, and disappeared. I knew then what it was after, and 

 brought the muzzle of the rifle round quickly to bear on the trunk of the tree 

 through the leaf-screen. Presently a head appeared round the trunk, just a 

 head, on a level with the platform and with the eyes fixed intently on it, look- 

 ing for all it was worth. It cannot have been ten yards off, and as it was get- 

 ting dusk, I brought the rifle to bear on the left eye and fired. When the smcke 

 cleared the head was still there, still staring in the self-same position, motionless ! 

 I immediately fired again, and the body fell to the ground with a thud, rolled 

 over once, the tail twitched, and all was quiet. On getting down I discovered 

 that one bullet had pierced the neck just at the base of the skull on the left side,, 

 hitting the spine and splintering it. Of the other bullet there was no trace. 



There can be little doubt that this animal knew there was soTne one in the tree, 

 but not being able to see clearly owing to the leaves came to the conclusion 

 that there might be a chance of a meal. She (it was a pantheress) had, in all pro- 

 bability, had some experience of a man on a platform before in a tree ; it is 

 quite on the cards that she had taken a man out of one and eaten him. That 

 would explain her boldness in stalking me. It is possible that, seeing a slight 

 motion, she thought that there was some one asleep on the platform ; and she 

 came to investigate with the idea of attacking if all were favourable. I cannot 

 explain her not moving or paying any attention to the first shot ; that, to my 

 mind, is more extraordinary than the fact of her having stalked me. I have seen 

 many panthers, some hundreds probably, but never yet have I known one 

 remain in the same place motionless after a shot. 



I may mention that this pantheress had three young ones inside her, which in 

 the ordinary course would have seen the light in three or four days ; she was in- 

 beautiful condition and young ; probably not more than four years old. 



T. R. D. BELL. 

 Khandesii, May, 1903. 



No. Ill— THE FOUR-HORNED ANTELOPE {TETRACERUS QUADRI- 



CORNIS). 

 Might I enquire whether any members of the Society have noticed a differ- 

 ence in the colour of the tongue between the buck and doe of the above Ante- 

 lope ? In a pair now at Dharwar the buck has a black-coloured tongue, while 

 that of the doe is flesh-coloured. If this difference is general between the sexes,, 

 it would be interesting to account for its use. 



ft. S. RODON, Major. 

 Diiarwak, 20ih May, 1903. 



No. IV.— THE NESTING OF THE YELLOW-BROWED BULBUL 

 {IOLE ICTERICA) AND THE SPOTTED BABBLER (PELLOR- 



NEUM RUFICEPS). 

 Oates, when compiling " Hume's Nests and Eggs of Indian Birds," had appar- 

 ently very little information regarding the habits of the above birds. As I have 



