CANNIBALISM OF TIGERS. 95 



to them on observing any suspicious circumstances, such as 

 the pitching of tents, the assembling of elephants, or the 

 collection of any large number of men. Lastly, tigresses 

 having the care of a family will naturally make their lairs 

 where they can, by the near vicinity of villages or cattle-folds, 

 provide easily for themselves and cubs ; also, hampered with 

 the latter they cannot, or rather will not, promptly secure 

 their own safety as do the males, whose family affections 

 come in a bad second to a due regard for their own health. 



The tiger not only eats carrion, but he prefers his game 

 high, as do in fact many, or I may add, most carnivora ; dogs, 

 hog, and even bears will linger fondly over a black and 

 putrid bone. Tigers moreover are cannibals, that is they will 

 eat their own species. I have myself known only one in- 

 stance, but the following remarkable one was related to me 

 by Mr. S., late of the Bengal Civil Service, a thorough sports- 

 man, and a careful observer : 



S. had killed a tiger and left it lying on the ground, 

 hastening back to his camp, to escape a severe storm of wind 

 and rain, which being over, he despatched his " Shikaree " 

 upon a pad-elephant to fetch in the slain. Shortly after, his 

 servant returned with the report that the tiger had revived, 

 and was lying on his stomach seemingly quite strong ; and 

 that observing this from a distance, he had left the other men 

 upon the elephant to watch, while he returned to inform his 

 master. S. having seen the tiger stretched out and apparently 

 lifeless, was not a little surprised as well as incredulous ; 

 however, ordering up his howdah-elephant, he proceeded to 

 the spot where he had left his dead tiger, and there and then 

 killed another, which, careless of his approach, was quietly 

 devouring the first ! Now these cats being on the same 

 ground, and probably in the same stretch of jungle, must have 

 been acquaintances at least, if not friends or relations. Per- 

 haps never having been formally introduced, they were not on 

 speaking terms ; but this cannot justify such an atrocious 

 act of cannibalism. 



Tigers when they are hungry, will eat anything they can 



