THE BIOGRAPHY OF A TIGER 15 



"Kaaw wick-a-wack ! " from the neighbouring under- 

 growth ; while at one sharp bend a little khdkar the 

 muntjac or barking-deer bounced off coughing in alarm, 

 his white flag of a tail cocked high in sudden affright. 



Farther down the Sipna's bed a tributary steep-banked 

 ravine joined it at right angles, and opposite this the 

 tigress and her two young hopefuls came to a halt. 



For a time the mother stood there, the tip of her tail 

 curving gently from side to side, her gaze fixed down- 

 stream. Then she quietly turned and made slowly towards 

 the little side ravine, waited a moment while her cubs 

 passed ahead under a fallen tree, then followed them. 

 The long dry grass into which they had passed closed 

 slowly over her red rump. Tigress and cubs had dis- 

 appeared. 



After some minutes a crow that had been silently 

 watching with beady eyes from a neighbouring bough 

 cocked its intelligent head, and seemed for an instant to 

 lower a filmy eyelid. It depressed its tail and emitted a 

 thoughtful " Caw ! " Then it dropped neatly from its perch, 

 and flew low up that same side ravine. 



There was no further movement in the jungle. 



Ten minutes later there arose a distant crashing among 

 the trees uphill. Some black-faced, white-frilled monkeys 

 ran and leaped from branch to branch, tree to tree, keeping 

 high off the ground. One of their band, an old greybeard, 

 glared angrily downwards, and, clutching the branches, 

 shook the leafage around him. Then he began cursing 

 bitterly; and the sound of his rating voice came from 

 afar 



" Ughaugh ! Ughaugha-a-d-ugh ! Ugh ! " 



Her cubs were growing up fast, and 'twas high time 

 that the tigress should teach them their trade. 



At the age of about nine months the little brutes, 



