THE TIGEE. 2G9 



approach the appearance of a melanoid variety. A few 

 specimens of white tigers with fulvous stripes have also 

 been mentioned, thougli I have never heard of one in 

 Central India. The tiger, like all animals that I am 

 acquainted with, is subject to slight variations of ap- 

 pearance and conformation amongst individuals ; and 

 local circumstances, and perhaps " natural selection," 

 may tend to give the race something of peculiarity in 

 different localities. But none of these has as yet, I 

 believe, reached the point of even permanent variation. 



It is useless to devote much time to hunting the 

 hill tigers that prey on game alone. They are so scattered 

 over extensive tracts of jungle, and are so active and 

 wary, that it is only by accident that they are ever 

 brought to bag. 



Favourably situated covers are almost certain to 

 hold one or more cattle-eating tigers during the hot 

 weather ; and however many are killed, others will 

 shortly occupy their place. A favourite resort for 

 these tigers is in the dense thickets formed of jaman, 

 karonda, and tamarisk — evergreen bushes whose shade 

 is thickest in the hot weather, and which grow in 

 islands and on the banks of partially dried-up stream- 

 beds. A thick and extensive cover of this sort, par- 

 ticularly if the neighbouring river banks are furnished, 

 as is often the case, with a thick scrubby jungle 

 of thorny bushes, through which ravines lead up to 

 the open country where cattle graze, is a certain find in 

 the hot season. Sometimes considerable gatherings 

 of tigers take place in such favourable places. I have 

 twice known five, and once seven, tigers to be driven 

 out of one cover at the same time ; and I think the 

 .season of love-makinoj has somethino; to do with these 



