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FELIS TIGRIS. 95 



effect of the evil eye ; that the whiskers constitute a deadly poison, "which 

 for this reason are carefully burnt off the instant the animal is killed. 

 Several of the lower castes eat his flesh." 



The late Major Sherwill, of the Revenue Survey, gave me some in- 

 teresting information on the habits of the Tiger, as observed by him in 

 the Dinagepore district — the substance of which is as follows : — 



Tigers arve very partial to certain localities, and avoid others to all 

 appearance quite as favourable cover. Year after year they will be found 

 in one locality and killed, and never be seen in another close at hand, 

 apparently j ust as suitable. They are very fond of ruins, and may often 

 be seen lying on the top of old walls, temples, &c. ; sometimes three or 

 four together. Generally speaking, the Bengal Tiger is a harmless, timid 

 animal, but when wounded he becomes ferocious and dangerous. He 

 seldom molests man without provocation, and man-eaters are very scarce 

 in Bengal, except in the vicinity of the Sunderbuns. A tigress has from 

 two to four cubs at a time, which remain with her until they are able to 

 kill for themselves. Young tigers are by far the most mischievous, occa- 

 sionally killing as many as four or five cows at once, whilst an old one 

 seldom kills more than what it requires for its food. An old tiger will 

 kill a cow about once a week, and for this purpose will quit its place of 

 retreat in dense jungle, proceed to the vicinity of a village and kill a 

 bullock or cow. It will remain near the "kill" for two or three days, 

 and sometimes longer, gnawing the bones before retreating to deep cover. 

 A tigress deposits her young in good cover. Two taken by Major Sherwill 

 were laid under a thorn bush in dense jungle. Null grass appears to be a 

 favourite place for breeding in. The mother appears much distressed on 

 losing her young, and for three or four nights afterwards remains at the 

 spot roaring all night in a very excited manner. 



The few remaining observations must be considered as supplementary 

 to the previous observations of Messrs. Elliot and Sherwill. When once 

 a tiger takes to killing man, it almost always perseveres in its endeavours 

 to procure the same food ; and, in general, it has been found that very 

 old tigers, whose teeth are blunted or gone, and the vigour of whose 

 strength is faded, are those that relish human food, finding it a much 

 more easy prey than cattle. In some parts of Central India, however, 

 it appears to be more the rule than the exception ; and in the Mundlah 

 district, east from Jubbulpore, in 1856, and previous years, on an 

 average between two and three hundred villagers were krUed annually. 



