174 MAMMALIA OF INDIA. 
as she struck at his head. But it was too late ; the pony dropped at 
the blow and died—not from concussion, however, but from loss of 
blood, for the jugular vein had been cut open as though it had been 
done with a knife. So much for the head stroke, which is, I may say, 
exceptional. As a general rule I think the tiger bears down his 
victim by sheer weight, and then, by some means which I should hesitate 
to define, although I have seen it, the head is wrenched back, so as to 
dislocate the vertebrae. One evening two cows were killed before me. 
I was going to say the tiger sprang at one, but correct myself—it is not 
a spring, but a rush on to the back of the animal; he seldom springs all 
fours off the ground at once. I have never seen a tiger get off his 
hind legs except in bounding over a fallen tree, or in and out of a ravine. 
In this case he rushed on to the cow and bore it to the ground; there 
was a violent struggle, and in the dusky light I could not tell whether 
he used his mouth or paws in wrenching back the head, which went 
with a crack. The thing was done in a minute, when he sprang once 
more to his feet, and the second cow was hurled to the ground in like 
manner. As his. back was turned to me I fired somewhat hastily, 
thinking to save the cow, but only wounded the tiger, which I lost. 
Both the cows, however, had their necks completely broken. I cannot 
“now remember the position of the fang-marks in the throat. On 
another occasion I came across five out of a herd that had been killed, 
probably by young tigers ; every one had the neck broken. 
Mr. Sanderson says that herdsmen have described to him how they 
have noticed the operation: ‘“Clutching the bullock’s fore-quarters 
with his paws, one being generally over the shoulder, he seizes the 
throat in his jaws from underneath and turns it upwards and over, 
sometimes springing to the far side in doing so, to throw the bullock 
over and give the wrench which dislocates its neck. ‘This is frequently 
done so quickly that the tiger, if timid, is in retreat again almost before 
the herdsmen can turn round.” This account seems reliable. A tiger 
may seize by the nape in order to get a temporary purchase, but it 
would be awkward for him to pull the head back far enough to snap the 
vertebral column. 
Now for a few remarks in conclusion. I have written more on the 
subject than I intended. ‘That tigers are carrion feeders is well known, 
but that sometimes they prefer high meat to fresh I had only proof of 
once. A tiger killed a mare and foal, on which he feasted for three 
days ; on the fourth nothing remaining but a very offensive leg; we tied 
out a fine young buffalo calf for him within a yard or two of the savoury 
joint. The tiger came during the night and took away the leg, without 
touching the calf; and, devouring it, fell asleep, in which condition we, 
having tracked him up the nullah, found and killed him. 
The tiger is not always monarch over all the beasts of the field. He 
