332 THE HIGHLANDS OF CENTEAL INDIA. 



scarcely distinguishable. The G6nds who were tracking 

 declared that they could tell that the cubs were both females. 

 This, I confess, I was somewhat incredulous of, although I 

 had frequently had occasion to admire their extraordinary skill 

 in tracking ; and I thought they were merely trusting to the 

 well-known preponderance of female over male cubs,* to get 

 a little kudos in the event of their prediction turning out 

 true. This was subsequently the case, but I have since 

 learned that the footmarks are really distinguishable. On in- 

 quiry, I found that while the foot of the male leaves an im- 

 pression nearly round, that of the tigress is almost oval. On 

 seeing them both together the difference is at once perceived. 

 This is likewise true of the male and female panther. With 

 a single exception, the footprints of all these great cats can be 

 distinguished with certainty after a little practice, which is no 

 small assistance to the hunter at times. The exception is, 

 that a large male panther and a young male tiger leave marks 

 absolutely identical, and not to be distinguished by the best 

 native trackers. 



After following the easily-read trail in the sandy bottom of 

 the ravine for some half-mile or so, the ravine branched off 

 into two ; the main branch leading straight down to the 

 river, and the other a narrow rock-bound gully striking off 

 almost at right angles to the left. The sturdy little Gond 

 who was then leading seemed to grow somewhat anxious as 

 we approached the junction, and his swarthy countenance 

 lighted up with a smile pleasant to see, when he found that all 

 three tigers had entered the gorge to the left. 



* Natives account for this by saying that the old male tiger kilh all the 

 male cubs he comes across when they are young; and they describe so similarly, 

 in different parts of the country, the manoeuvres of mamma to protect her 

 young " hopefuls " against their unnatural papa, that I have little doubt of the 

 truth of the story. 



