102 TIGERS. 



gry, which I believe is often the case, as their 

 killing animals of the forest must be very 

 precarious. It is the general opinion of the 

 inhabitants* that when a tiger has tasted hu- 

 man blood he prefers it to all other food. A 

 year or two sometimes elapses, without any 

 one being killed by a tiger for several miles 

 round; although they are often seen within 

 that space, and are known todeslroy cattle; 

 but as soon as one man is killed, others 

 shortly after share the same fate; this, I 

 imagine is the reason, why, the natives enter- 

 tain an idea, that they prefer men to all other 

 food, I account for it otherwise. Tigers 

 are naturally afraid of men, and in the first 

 instance seldom attack them, unless compel- 

 led by extreme hunger. When once they 

 have ventured an attack, they find them much 

 easier prey than most animals of the forest, 

 and always to be met with near villages, and 

 on public roads, without the trouble of hunt- 

 ing about for them through the covers. 



A tigress with two cubs, lurked about the 

 Kutkumsandy pass, and during two months* 



