MISCELLANEOUS. 237 



of valleys, near accumulations of stagnant water, where 

 the shade afforded by trees frequently offers inducements 

 which outweigh all sanitary considerations. It is certain, 

 however, that a daily modicum of quinine modifies, if it fails 

 to prevent, an attack of fever. 



Unless quartered near parts of India where tigers are 

 numerous, or acquainted with friends who will invite him 

 to join their shooting parties, a beginner will probably find 

 it difficult to bag even his first tiger. Of course, an 

 unexpected opportunity of doing so may occur ; but even 

 twenty-five years ago, when they were more numerous than 

 at present, I spent three months in the jungles before 

 shooting my first tiger, previous to which nearly fifty 

 hard days in the sun had been spent in unsuccessful beats. 



The best bag I ever remember to have been made at 

 Secunderabad, was that in the hot weather of 1871, which 

 amounted to thirty- one tigers, and over fifty panthers and 

 bears, the average number of rifles being eight ; but several 

 of the sportsmen were unable to get more than one month's 

 leave, and changes consequently occurred at intervals 

 throughout that period. 



The best bag made by a small party was that by 

 Captains Broadhurst, Thorney croft, and Travers in 1884, 

 who,' in the Godavery district, shot twenty-four full-grown 

 tigers and three bears in two and a half months, and 

 caught two tiger's cubs and two young bears in addition. 

 Their largest tiger measured 10 feet from tip of nose to 

 tip of tail along the curves. Captain Thorney croft, of my 

 regiment, shot an exceptionally large tigress which 

 measured 9 feet 2-J inches along the curves. Major 

 Mansel Pleydell, 12th Lancers, was also a very successful 

 sportsman, killing forty-four tigers to his own rifle during 

 a comparatively short term of service in the Deccan extend- 



