62 SPOET IN THE EASTERN SUDAN 



perpetrated. I myself have known a couple of lions 

 delay an attack upon a goat until the setting of the 

 moon, and a suspicious beast is most unlikely to 

 return to a kill until the sound of tearing flesh is the 

 only avenue of sense by which its presence can be 

 conveyed to the sportsman. 



I believe myself that it is upon their sense of hear- 

 ing that the cat tribe mainly rely, not only for the 

 detection of their prey, but for the circumvention of 

 their enemies. As they steal along the jungle paths, 

 their movements appear to be actuated by the spirit 

 of noiselessness, and I believe that they are listening 

 with corresponding intentness for the betrayal of life 

 in their vicinity. On the other hand, when they are 

 stalking their prey, and anything suggests the possi- 

 bility of danger, their usual manoeuvre is to crouch 

 down under a bush, probably within 20 yards of 

 their victim, and listen intently for further develop- 

 ments for a space of time that may be drawn out for 

 hours. This trick is undoubtedly the principal diffi- 

 culty in the way of their circumvention by this 

 method, and accounts for the reputation of many 

 cunning animals of never revisiting a kill. I believe 

 myself that kills are almost invariably revisited, as 

 often as not in broad daylight an hour or so after 

 the sportsman who found them has returned to 

 his camp for the paraphernalia for an all-night 

 sitting; but the stealthy visit goes unnoticed, and 



