418 THE STORY OF THE TIGER. 



appears that tigers may take to man-eating from a variety of other causes. 

 Thus either wounds, excessive fat, or the fact of a tigress having had to 

 bring up a family of cubs where food is scarce, may be the original cause of 

 the adoption of this mode of life. All man-eaters were invariably at first cattle- 

 stealers, which gradually became accustomed to the sight and presence of man, 

 and thus lost their instinctive fear of the human race. When once a tiger has 

 taken to man-eating, and has discovered how easily its victims are killed, it 

 appears that it afterwards hunts the same kind of prey, although only 

 some individuals confine themselves to this kind of food. Those tigers which 

 are entirely or mainly man-eaters inflict fearful havoc on the unfortunate 

 natives among whom they have taken up their quarters; an average native 

 of India forming by no means a hearty meal for a tiger. 



All who' have had to do with them are unanimous as to the extreme wari- 

 ness and caution of man-eaters, which from this cause are the most difficult 

 to kill of all tigers. The slightest rustle or whisper on the part of the pursuer- 

 is sufficient to put the man-eater on its guard; and it is marvelous how the 

 animal is able to distinguish between an armed Europeann and an unarmed 

 native. 



The general method of seizing its prey is for the tiger to slink up under 

 cover of bushes or long grass, ahead of the cattle in the direction they are 

 feeding, and tO' make a rush at the first cow or bullock that comes within five 

 or six yards. The tiger does not spring upon his prey in the manner usually 

 represented. Clutching the bullock's fore-quarters with his paws, one being 

 generally over the shoulder, he seizes the throat in his jaws from underneath, 

 and turns it upwards and over, sometimes springing to the far side in doing 

 so, to throw the bullock over, and give the wrench which dislocates its neck. 

 This is frequently done so quickly that the tiger, if timid, is in retreat again 

 almost before the herdsman can turn round. Bold animals often kill several 

 head, unsophisticated cattle occasionally standing and staring at the tiger in 

 stupid astonishment ; but herds that are accustomed to these raids only enter 

 the jungle with extreme unwillingness. Occasionally the tiger seizes his prey 

 by the nape of the neck; the blow of his paw will, however, stun even a large 

 animal ; and it is quite possible that cattle may be killed in this manner. Tigers 

 will on rare occasions kill buffalo and gaur, and similar prey, by hamstringing 

 them, probably by a blow with the claws. Such hamstrung animals are occa- 

 sionally met with, but the exact method in which it is accomplished remains 

 unknown. 



It is probable that a cattle-killing tiger destroyed a victim about every 



