62 INDIAN BIG GAME 



a tiger is, the more he means business. In the 

 two kills by tiger of which I have personal know- 

 ledge, there was no call or roar on either occasion. 



I have ventured to classify the two noises I 

 have described. Whatever their object, there is 

 no doubt, in my mind, that the two are entirely 

 different and distinct from one another. 



I have also once or twice heard a tiger make a 

 sing-song humming noise. 



In addition there is the well-known charging 

 roar, sometimes almost a grunt. I believe that 

 this generally means fear, and I suppose probably 

 rage, on the tiger's part. 



Also there are a variety of cat noises, yawn, 

 spit, and growl, when two tigers are playing 

 together. 



I have never heard a tiger make a noise in 

 any way resembling the " bell " of a sambhur. 



Finally on this subject, in the matter of 

 " speaking to a shot," I do not think this is any 

 criterion whatever of a hit. Some tigers " speak " 

 when hit, others do not. 



To revert to the shoot, there were a couple 

 of kills at another tree where the machan had 

 already been put up, but neither with live nor 

 dead animals would the tiger have any dealings 

 with me when I sat up. Presumably noise or 

 smell gave me away. 



We had another kill in the only beatable 

 nullah. The old shikari insisted on beating it 

 down hill this time. This was anyhow a mistake, 

 and in this case meant beating away from the 

 tiger's line of retreat (which was to the ghat 

 valley). Moreover, the machan was within fifty 



