THE BIOGRAPHY OF A TIGER 57 



his second repast, and approaches the spot where he 

 knows he can find it. But his actual return to the 

 remains of his "kill" depends on many circumstances. 

 He may find and kill some other animal en route ; he 

 may meet or smell human beings on his way or when 

 approaching his " kill " ; the " kill " itself may have been 

 touched or its position shifted by man; or he may be 

 merely capricious. Anything may serve to prevent his 

 return, especially if a cunning, knowing brute. Usually 

 he approaches as all the cats do in absolute silence, 

 and, seating himself, contemplates the scene for a long 

 time ere creeping in to feed ; or he may first stealthily 

 perambulate the surrounding jungle. 



There is a popular idea that tigers eat carrion, but 

 it is only in extremely rare instances that they return 

 to their " kills " a third time. Thus two nights the tiger 

 dines the first a hot meal, the second a cold. For 

 " hash " he does not care. On such habits are the sports- 

 man's methods based. 



So it was that evening in the fading glow of twilight 

 that a startled spurfowl rose cackling from the leaves 

 uphill, and a troop of loose-limbed monkeys cantered 

 hurriedly across the boulders of Muingpati and up their 

 sheltering trees beyond. 



Something seemed to be moving stealthily in the jungle 

 overlooking the pool. There was a faint rustle on the 

 brow of the slope where the long red grass ran into the 

 shadow of the close-set trees and the sound of a dry leaf 

 crushing slowly, as if under the pressure of a soft but 

 heavy footfall. 



Down in the grey obscurity of the little river-bed the 

 half-eaten cadaver of the little buffalo made a dark blot 

 on the whitish stones and shingle. Beyond it rose the 

 low croaking of frogs ; and a deep hum of bees as they 

 mounted in a steady succession from the margin of the 

 hidden waterhole after drinking, and droned away through 



