POISONING TIGERS 45 



does not appear to enter into his liead. Poison is used 

 to destroy them, as well as leopards, in the following 

 manner. When the remains of an animal that has been 

 killed are found, an incision is made down the back of 

 the neck, and the skin drawn aside. Two powders are 

 then rubbed in, the first, of which a considerable quan- 

 tity is used, being of an emerald-green colour ; the other 

 is white, and not much (perhaps an ounce) is con- 

 sidered sufficient. I was unable to find out what these 

 powders consisted of, and it would be interesting to 

 know, for they are undoubtedly very effective in poison- 

 ing the tigers or leopards, whose flesh is invariably de- 

 voured again b}^ their poisoners, after having been 

 boiled in two or three waters, and, as far as I could 

 hear, without any ill-effects following. 



On visiting a carcass that has been poisoned, the 

 natives arm themselves with long spears, the only occa- 

 sion on which they are carried except when in the pursuit 

 of wild pig. Many people in China assured me that 

 pigs and tigers are never found together in the same 

 locality, but I am convinced they are mistaken, as here 

 they both occurred plentifully, and leopards as well. 

 In small covers and jungles it is quite possible that the 

 presence of a tiger or leopard might cause a general 

 exodus of the pigs ; but in forest lands, such as are 

 found here, they exist together in numbers. The only 



