BULLET AND SHOT 



Should an armed man meet a man-eating tiger 

 by chance in the jungle, and see the latter before 

 the beast could seize him unawares, the former 

 would incur no more danger in firing at the animal 

 than he would in the case of any other tiger. 

 Further, if an unarmed man were suddenly to 

 come face to face with a man-eater, and to present 

 a bold front to the latter more particularly if he 

 were to pretend to act on the offensive I believe 

 that the animal would retreat without daring to 

 molest him. 



A tiger is nothing but a huge cat, and most of 

 his motions and habits are those of the latter. 

 Just as a cat lies in wait for prey, so does a tiger 

 man-eater, cattle-lifter, or game-killer ; just as a 

 cat stealthily stalks his victim, taking advantage of 

 every little bit of cover and means of concealment, 

 so does its huge counterpart in the Indian jungles. 

 There is nothing open in the attack of either till 

 the victim is within one second's seizing distance, 

 and there is then no need for any further conceal- 

 ment. A man so stalked has no chance whatso- 

 ever, and a rifle, however powerful, in his hands 

 would avail him nothing. 



Fortunately man-eaters are nowadays seldom 

 permitted to live long enough to be able to claim 

 a very long list of victims, and I should consider 

 no means unsportsmanlike in endeavouring to com- 

 pass the destruction of so terrible a scourge. 



Amongst the causes which lead tigers to take 

 to man - eating I believe the following to be the 

 chief : 



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