Melursus Diabolicus. 31 



an extraordinary escape the writer had when once fairly in 

 the clutches of one of these black, hairy, yelling brutes is 

 too tempting to pass by. 



As has been hinted at, there was a time when he held but 

 scant respect for Melursus ; but up to that date it had not 

 been his privilege to make acquaintance with the sub- 

 family " diabolicus? 



It was during a singularly ill-chosen expedition to a 

 certain district of the Central Provinces, that once bore a 

 great name as a hunting-ground, that camp was pitched not 

 far from a rocky range of sandstone hills named " Chitra- 

 Katra." Thither the writer found himself riding out at dawn 

 one morning in the merrie month of May. The men had gone 

 on overnight, and were to watch the hillsides from before 

 daylight for the bears which I was assured I should find. 



I should hasten to make it plain that, being a " family 

 man," my methods of shikar have to be tempered with a due 

 regard to the avoidance of a too intimate or personal 

 acquaintance with wild beasts in their live and kicking state. 

 A " foot " shikari, of the tree-and-rock- roosting species, I 

 had hitherto gone scatheless through episodes some tame, 

 others exciting, all happily without harm to any of the people 

 accompanying me which had imbued me with a cock- 

 sureness that ordinary prudence was all that was required 

 to justify me in assuring those anxious for my welfare that 

 no risks could or would be run. 



On reaching the foot of Chitra-Katra hill not long after 

 sunrise, a distant whistle and vigorous beckoning brought me 

 scrambling happily to the top, where I was informed that a 

 large she-bear with a cub had been seen loafing about, and 

 had, just before my arrival, disappeared behind some rocks- 

 half-way down the hillside. Creeping along, I met the other 

 shikari^ and was joined by two of my men with rifle and gun r 



