INTRODUCTION. 



ALTHOUGH there are very few natives in India 

 who sport often for amusement, there are a great 

 number whose profession or business is solely to 

 catch or kill animals and game, by which they gain 

 their livelihood : these men (whose forefathers have 

 followed the same profession,) are brought up to 

 it from their infancy, and, as they pursue no other 

 business through life, they become surprizingly 

 expert. Many of their contrivances are extremely 

 curious, some of which I shall endeavour from 

 recollection to describe. In many parts of India, 

 animals of prey are numerous, and in other parts 

 those only are found which destroy vegetation; 

 wherever either or both kinds are found, it is ab- 

 solutely necessary that the farmers or villagers 

 should have some contrivance for their destruc- 

 tion, in order to preserve themselves, their cattle, 



