Reminiscences of Jungly pur. 141 



select a suitable calf, stealthily leap the thorn hedge, and, 

 before the startled herd was aware of it, crush back with 

 his prey, through some weak spot in the enclosure. Next 

 morning the exasperated herdsman would follow the long 

 dragging trail to some ndla or nook, where, if small in 

 size, only the head and pedal extremities of the victim would 

 be left : if large, and so affording more than a comfortable 

 bellyful for the spotted tyrant, the unconsumed remains 

 would have been removed with a skill that usually baffled 

 any attempt at discovery. On one occasion a long search 

 revealed the carcase suspended on the branch of a tree far 

 above our heads. The entire fore-part of a plump yearling 

 calf, which could not have weighed less than 140 Ibs., had 

 been carried up the sloping trunk of a tdklai tree that grew 

 on the steep slope of a woody ravine. The smooth, soft, 

 skin-like bark bore a complete record of the panther's engi- 

 neering feat. He had left the remains of the calf most 

 delicately and ingeniously balanced on a large branch that 

 protruded from the main trunk, some twenty-five feet in air. 

 One fore foot had been adjusted on a small excrescence in 

 the bark, and this gave the carcase a perfect counterpoise. 

 It would have been a difficult task to set three able-bodied 

 men, working in broad daylight, and supplied with ropes. 



At last this panther killed a laggard cow close to the 

 mouth of the Dhar khora trap, but lay up elsewhere. 

 Next evening a goat of high vocal attainments was 

 invitingly picketted close to the natural " kill," and I sat 

 up over it. 



Not till well after dark on this moonless night did the 

 panther arrive, and then the first intimation of his presence 

 was a little gasp, that was choked into a sigh, as thegarotted 

 goat sank to earth. This was followed by a horrid sound, 

 like the sharp ripping open of a carpet bag. Just able to 



