WILD LIFE ACROSS THE WORLD 



It looked as if the task would be an easy one, but 

 the reverse turned out to be the case on account of 

 the speed at which the insects flew. The pictures had 

 to be taken at very close quarters, some two feet from 

 the camera, which of course increases the difficulties 

 enormously. A Kodak will take a perfect picture 

 of the fastest express train in the world at a hundred 

 yards' range, but at five yards' range the result would 

 be a blurred streak. 



Altogether I spent twenty days roaming the jungle 

 on the back of an elephant. One day was particularly 

 interesting. I spent it in studying the ways of the 

 monkeys and learnt a great deal, besides securing some 

 beautiful pictures. The mothers with their young 

 were especially fascinating. They carried their babies 

 in their arms with a care that was almost human and 

 wholly pathetic. When on the move with the rest 

 the mothers were always in the centre of the party, 

 never leading, yet never lagging behind, trusting to 

 the others to protect them. 



One cannot help being amused at the natives' 

 attitude towards the monkey. It is typical of the 

 Hindu's patience as well as of his superstition. The 

 monkey is a sacred animal, and must not be killed ; 

 but when he gets into the rice fields he becomes an 

 unmitigated nuisance, and does an enormous amount 

 of damage. It is a difficult position for the cultivator, 

 but he tries to get out of it in characteristic fashion — 



264 



