Reminiscences of Jungly pur. 139 



There were a good many panthers near Junglypur, chiefly 

 found in the lower foot-hills and in the vicinity of villages ; 

 and these were shot in the usual manner, by sitting over a 

 " kill" (either natural, or a bait previously tied up) or, 

 what was much more deadly, by occupying a roofed-in 

 rifle pit, and picketting a goat within about fifteen feet of 

 the loophole. A lonely perch in a tree was however 

 the commonest stratagem, though obviously too patent to 

 deceive a panther of experience ! 



The element of luck is too powerful a factor however 

 in . this tree-roosting, hole-haunting form of amusement, 

 the most successful exponent of the art being a friend of 

 mine, who never even troubled himself to keep silence, but 

 coughed, yawned, and shook the tree with wide leg-stretch- 

 ings at his ease. In this manner he bagged five panthers, 

 within a few weeks, from the same tree. 



The rapidity with which a bold or previously unfired-afc 

 panther will sometimes arrive before the watcher's 

 hiding-place is phenomenal. On one occasion, about four 

 o'clock in the afternoon, the writer, having climbed to his 

 perch and seated himself, was busied in arranging the leafy 

 shelter, when the tethered kid, that had been straining at 

 its bonds and yelling after the yet audible footsteps of his 

 retreating men, gave a start, and rigidified into a silent 

 stare. A fine panther stood there, not five yards away, 

 with his upturned greenish-yellow eyes fixed enquiringly 

 on the maclidn. 



Another day we were sitting in a tall burgot tree over a 

 tiger's "kill" during the early afternoon. A panther 

 came unconcernedly down the nala, heralded by much " tok- 

 tokking " of peafowl, and flung himself down gracefully 

 directly below us. As he was not wanted just then, 

 I amused myself by seeing how far it was possible to go 



