220 MISCELLANEOUS. 



ground. The writer stated that this was not done by a 

 spring, but by regular climbing up a difficult tree. Some 

 years ago an account appeared in a Madras paper of a 

 tiger having been shot in a tree in the Neilgherry hills, at 

 an elevation of twenty feet above the ground. These cases 

 must be considered very exceptional, and any ordinary 

 wound ought to incapacitate the tiger from performing 

 such feats either by climbing or springing. 



On being posted, the first thing to do is to scan the 

 adjacent jungle, to ascertain the passes by which the tiger 

 is most likely to approach, and, if in a tree, to take up a 

 position so that you can readily direct your fire on each. 



In addition to cattle, the tiger also kills deer, wild pigs, 

 porcupines, monkeys, and even pea fowl ; and when hard 

 pressed by hunger, will eat frogs, and grub like the bear 

 under stones and cattle droppings for the beetles that 

 take refuge there. 



Wild pigs are his favourite food and are more easily 

 caught than deer, as they are in the habit of grubbing up 

 the ground for roots, and while thus engaged are more 

 easily stalked. The tiger will seldom tackle the old boar, 

 who is too good a warrior for him, and sometimes worsts 

 hini in single combat. 



In the hot weather trips made by the sportsmen from 

 Secunderabad, one or more instances happened from time to 

 time, of wounded tigers charging those who were following 

 them up ; but an accident never occurred on these rather 

 ticklish occasions, as the brute was invariably shot dead or 

 turned by the fire of the group, every man of which 

 invariably stood firm ; all the same, there were some 

 narrow shaves, the wounded tiger often only swerving at 

 the last moment, and passing within a few feet of the 

 group of sportsmen. Under similar circumstances, a 



