CREATURES OF THE WILDERNESS 131 



panthers, whose claws had been cut and molars 

 removed as a precautionary measure, were 

 caged on a cart and the dogs roamed about the 

 circus encampment. The panthers, realising 

 perhaps that there must be some of their friends 

 in the neighbouring jungle, never ceased utter- 

 ing the peculiar coughing grunt of their kind, 

 and a fine wild panther actually did enter the 

 camp and, standing (as his tracks subsequently 

 proved) on his hind legs, carry on a lengthy 

 conversation with his imprisoned relatives. 

 Then, no doubt, he thought that refreshments 

 should be forthcoming to celebrate the gather- 

 ing of the clan. He had not far to go. At 

 this moment, we may surmise, Fido (described 

 by its proud owner as "the most marvellous 

 intelligent performing dog in the world ") came 

 on the scene and, mistaking the hungry visitor 

 for one of the toothless brigade, dashed forward 

 with a view to practising the "side-splitting 

 clown act." Alas, for mental culture! The 

 sahibs, dining at their table less than thirty 

 yards away, heard a yelp, but it was too late, 

 for the harlequin intruder had gone out into the 

 darkness with the "funniest clown dog ever 

 seen " in his jaws. It is interesting to remember 

 that Behreye Bungalow is in the jungle called 

 Seoni Chappara, the Seoni of Kipling's Jungle 

 Book. 



Leopards are plentiful in Ceylon, where, as 



