A REMARKABLE PERFORMANCE 



360 Express, which I invariably carried with me in case 

 I came across any pea-fowl, etc. 



The bull was standing broadside on, exposing his neck 

 and shoulder in such a way as to ensure a deadly shot, and 

 tempted by this, I decided to use the smaller weapon. 

 Taking a most careful aim about three inches behind the 

 ear, I pressed the trigger. 



Instantaneously, as if struck by lightning, the mighty 

 beast fell dead. It seemed almost incredible, but there it 

 lay, absolutely motionless. However, knowing that I 

 should have some difficulty in convincing my friend, I 

 cut off its tail, then going back to him, made him put his 

 finger down the muzzle of my heavy rifle, then look down 

 the barrel of the other, and when I saw that he was satisfied 

 I had used the latter, I produced the tail ! 



On going up to the animal, we found a minute hole, 

 hardly perceptible where the little bullet had entered. 

 Nevertheless, small as it was, it had divided the jugular 

 vein in two, thus causing instantaneous death. 



This was the most remarkable instance of a large and 

 powerful animal being killed by a single shot, and from 

 so small a rifle, that I had ever seen or heard of and only 

 proves, as I have said, how much depends on the placing 

 of the shot. 



At the same time, I do not mean by this to advocate 

 the general use of small-bore rifles for such large game, as it 

 must be remembered that this was quite an exceptional 

 case, for the odds against obtaining a quiet, steady shot 

 at so short a distance as ten yards are probably about 

 a hundred to one, especially in the case of a bison, which 

 is an extremely wary beast and most difficult to get near. 



Nevertheless, there is no animal in the Indian jungle 

 more worthy of the hunter's best efforts to secure, for the 

 Indian bison * is truly a magnificent animal. It is found 

 in all the larger forests and is fairly plentiful in Kanara, 

 the Central Provinces, and on the bamboo-clad spurs of the 

 Satpudas in Khandesh, where I have shot a considerable 

 number. 



The average height of a bull is about six feet at the 

 shoulder and its length from nine to ten feet. They are of 

 * Indian bison (Bos Gaurus). 



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