282 TIGER- CUBS. 



the male, on November 2 5 ; he measured 6 feet 1 1 inches, but I was unable 

 to weigh him. 



Tiger - cubs are very handsome little beasts, and exceedingly good- 

 tempered ; but it is essential that they should be taken very young, before 

 they have any knowledge of jungle-life, or fear of man, or they cannot be 

 tamed. A month is the outside age for taking them. They show much 

 attachment to their master, following him everywhere, lying under liis chair, 

 and sniffing loudly with pleasure when noticed. As soon as meat is given, 

 even to the youngest cubs, they turn up their noses at milk, and will take 

 nothing but meat afterwards. The idea that uncooked flesh makes them 

 savage is, I have satisfied myself, groundless. Cubs will only get on well 

 on raw meat, and as long as they have enough of it, are the best-tempered 

 little animals in the world. When four months old they become formidable 

 in appearance and power, but they may safely be kept loose much longer. 

 A pair which I gave to his Highness the young Maharajah of Mysore were 

 kept loose until eight months old, and used to play with each other or their 

 keepers, and with a tame bear, very prettily. My experience of tame tigers 

 is that they are neither treacherous nor likely to show any sudden savage- 

 ness if well fed. I had one of considerable size that used to bCjloose in my 

 room at night, and though I pillowed and thumped it when it would show 

 its affection for me by jumping on to the bed as soon as I was asleep, it 

 never showed any resentment. I sold a pair of cubs eight months old, as 

 I was ordered to Bengal and could not keep them, for £100. 



Having now given some notes on the nature and habits of the tiger, I 

 shall endeavour to describe the usual methods of hunting him. 



TIGER-HUNTING. 



The pursuit of the tiger with a line of elephants is perhaps the most 

 common method, the sportsman either shooting from the howdah, or from a 

 post selected ahead, towards which the tiger is driven. This plan is chiefly 

 adopted in Bengal in places where the grass is long, and where men on foot 

 would be useless. 



Beaters are employed instead of elephants in other parts of India, where 

 the jungle admits of men getting through in line, and is perhaps too thorny 

 or close at about the height of the howdah for shooting from an elephant. 



In some parts of India, particularly in Mysore, tigers are surrounded 

 with nets and shot from outside, or from the backs of elephants, or even on 

 foot, inside. 



