INTRODUCTION xxiii 



of dummy cartridges and constantly test the feeding 

 action, for a jamb at the critical moment puts the rifle 

 utterly out of action. 



Captain Mosse would prefer the double rifle and, 

 in that form, is inclined to consider anything above 

 •400 bore rather heavy. My present practice is to 

 carry a magazine rifle on the march, the double being 

 usually unloaded, in the hands of an attendant ; for 

 close work, the double is best ; for distant work the 

 magazine rifle. For the smaller animals I would use 

 the heavy rifles to avoid keeping up too man}^ weapons, 

 though of course they are over powerful for that 

 purpose alone. 



Captain Mosse considers the lion probably the 

 most dangerous wild animal in attack. I think I 

 would put the buffalo first, then the lion or tiger, then 

 the leopard, elephant, Indian bear of the plains, and 

 rhinoceros, in order as I have named them. 



It is more difficult to take sides in the question of 

 protective colouring. My experience is that in various 

 surroundings, the giraffe in the dappled shade of a 

 flat- topped giant mimosa ; the zebra on a grass plain ; 

 the buffalo and elephant in heavy thicket ; the black 

 bear among the pine-stumps of a Himalayan glade ; 

 most wild animals, in fact, will generally find an envi- 

 ronment, which will curiously chance to suit their 

 colouring. They also to a certain extent reflect to the 

 eye of the observer from their coats, however dull, the 

 colours of objects round them. 



It is, moreover, nearly certain that animals have, 

 even within known history, changed their habits. It 

 is said the American bison, conspicuous and hunted in 



