THE JUNGLE CAT. 223 



over a leopard, I left it apparently quite dead ; on returning 

 some time after, I was surprised to find it was gone, when I 

 suddenly saw it a short distance away with its back up 

 looking awfully fierce, and the next moment I fully believe it 

 would have charged me had I not effectually put a bullet 

 behind its shoulder. This shows how careful one ought to 

 be in approaching any of these big cats, supposing them to be 

 dead. Even the common wild jungle cat (Felis chaus) of 

 Southern India is an awkward customer at times. It is a 

 tall long legged, short tailed animal, almost as unlike our 

 domestic cat as the wild dog is to its civilized brother. One 

 of these cats came into our cantonment evidently on the 

 prowl for fowls or anything it could pick up, so we collected 

 all the dogs we could, and had a hunt ; after some time we 

 found it, and a very exciting chase we had amongst the 

 hedges that divided the officers' quarters. We came to a long 

 check, the dogs being quite at fault ; after looking about 

 for some time I spied the cat squatting in a hedge and called 

 for the dogs ; when they came, I knelt down and began 

 clapping my hands and cheering them on ; the cat suddenly 

 made a clean spring at my face ; I had just time to catch it as 

 one would a cricket ball, and giving its ribs a strong squeeze 

 I threw it to the dogs, not however before it had made its 

 teeth meet in my arm just above the wrist ; for some weeks I 

 had to carry my arm in a sling, and I shall carry the marks 

 of the bite to my grave. 



I have not killed many leopards although I have often 

 come across them both on the ground and in trees, but they 

 are so crafty and sly that it is very difficult to get a fair shot 

 at them. It was when out after ibex that I mostly met with 

 them, as they are particularly partial to the flesh of this 



