212 JOURNAL, BOMBA Y NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XVIIJ. 



as my experience goes, are becoming daily bolder and more fearless in their 

 relations to human beings. An attempt is being made to reduce their numbers 

 by arming some of the more reliable forest subordinates with Snider muskets 

 for the destruction of these pests. In this way in the last three years an 

 average of about 20 dogs per annum has been accounted for, but all to no 

 purpose, for the numbers are undoubtedly increasing. 



During the month of March this year the dogs began to turn their attention 

 to buffalo " kills " tied up for tiger. In this way I lost two " kills " within a 

 few days. It then occurred to me I might turn this new feature to good 

 account by keeping by me a supply of strychnine poison. 



I at onre wrote to Messrs. Kemp & Company of Bombay and obtained a 

 supply of strychnine. I have not tasted it myself but I have no reason to 

 suppose it is not what it is intended to be ! I did not have lo wait long before 

 a chance arose of using it. On the 18th April I had a panther kill and on the 

 morning of the 18th, when I arrived at my camp at Chickdaria Forest Village. 

 I was brought word that th»ee wild dogs were on the kill. I immediately pro- 

 ceeded to the spot in time to see three dogs slinking off into the jungle. On 

 examining the kill, I found the head and shoulders of a small ' boda" remain- 

 ing. I thereupon cut gashes about six inches long and two inches deep in the 

 fleshy parts and inserted into these cuts 11 grs. of strychnine. I then left the 

 kill at about 10 a.m. and did not return to it again until 5 p.m. On my 

 return there was not a vestige of the kill remaining ; it had been completely 

 eaten up. The next thing to do was to look for dead dogs, but a close search 

 round the kill only produced two dead vultures. 



I then moved off towards a tank which contained the only available drink- 

 ing water for animals for several miles around. I thought T might possibly 

 find some dogs near the water. About \ mile from the ' kill ' and close to the 

 tank I was assailed by a terrible odour, and looking about came up< n the fresh 

 vomit of a dog or dogs and the next moment saw half a dozen slinkirg along 

 to the tank to drink. An unsuccessful shot at one of them dispersed them. 



In the end I found nothing more, and the total result of the 11 grs. of 

 strychnine was one wild dog vomit ! 



The next morning a better chance came. I was about to march wit en a 

 noise, which I took to be that of a bear, caused me to run off in the direction it 

 came from, taking my rifle with me. Not one hundred yards from my camp 

 1 came across a young doe nilgai not yet dead, but already the dogs had begun 

 their horrid meal. The sight was gruesome and I quickly despatched the 

 groaning animal. This was an opportunity not to be missed, a perfectly fresh 

 kill and hardly touched. While sending off for the strychnine I sat up over 

 the kill with my wife, who was fortunate in polishing off an old dog which 

 returned in the meantime for a meal. 



It is as well to note the size of the kill, which was that of an ordinary 

 country tat about il hands in height. I determined to do the work thoroughly 

 1 his time. I therefore cut long deep gashes all over the body, head, neck 



