THE TRAIL OF THE TIGER 279 



would be even more serious to India and more ex- 

 pensive to the natives were it not for the tiger, 

 panther and leopard. This formidable trio of the 

 cat family practically police agricultural India 

 where it pushes into the jungle, and make it pos- 

 sible for the poor native to exist through culti- 

 vation of his fields. So after all, it is a question 

 whether, speaking very broadly, tigers are not 

 more beneficial than harmful. Undoubtedly the 

 depredations of the tiger are over-estimated, be- 

 cause he is so feared that wherever he prowls 

 invariable panic spreads widely to his discredit. 

 On India's last year's death list, 2,649 are credited 

 to wild beasts, and while all of these are laid up 

 against the tiger, panthers and wolves, especially 

 panthers, should be charged with a very consid- 

 erable share. The fact is that the panther and 

 leopard, which, except as to size, are about alike in 

 spotted pelt and temper, are as much under-esti- 

 mated as the tiger is over-estimated. The smaller 

 leopard devotes itself more largely to goats and 

 pigs and monkeys, while the panther attacks deer, 

 gaur, cattle and man— for the panther also, on occa- 

 sions, becomes a "man-eater," and when he does he 

 is a fury, insatiable. Panthers are bolder in attack, 

 more active and more generally vicious than tigers ; 

 yet they inspire nothing like such awe among the 

 natives. Indeed, I have seen natives rally to the 



