196 SPORT _ IN BENGAL. 



bunches of thatching-grass, a grass panther bounded upon the 

 leader, and having struck him to the earth, flew upon seven 

 others, all of whom he bit or clawed, and then calmly retired 

 from the field. Now, this beast could have had no intention 

 to seize and carry off one of the wayfarers to satisfy his 

 hunger. Probably he was annoyed at their loud voices, and 

 seeing a good opening for the indulgence of some horse-play, 

 he suddenly fell upon them as described, and no doubt keenly 

 enjoyed his little practical joke. 



It is no uncommon incident in the sportsman's life to 

 have a pair of these pards on the defensive before a line of 

 elephants, showing fight in gallant style, rearing upon their 

 hind legs to strike at the elephants' faces and trunks, or leap- 

 ing upon their thighs and backs even, with every tooth and 

 claw at work. My friend EL R. told me lately that one day 

 at Alal a large grass panther attacked his elephants with 

 such determined ferocity, and displayed such wonderful 

 agility in springing upon them one after another, that they 

 and the "Mahouts" became demoralised, and the gallant beast 

 eventually made his escape. If I remember rightly, one of 

 the "Mahouts" was wounded in this pretty encounter, and 

 two or more elephants clawed and bitten. 



The tree panther exhibits greater audacity than the 

 other kind, and will enter villages and houses with the 

 utmost impudence, and seize dogs and the smaller domestic 

 cattle under the very noses of their owners, returning again 

 and again if foiled in the first attempt. This animal appears 

 to have no dread of man in the gloaming or after nightfall, 

 and innumerable instances of the most daring attacks might 

 be related. 



Dr. P. and I once occupied, in the course of a tour of 

 inspection, a small bungalow in the Bograi Pergunnah, then 

 in the Midnapoor district, and now in Balasore. Combining 

 duty and sport we enjoyed ourselves mightily in the jungles 

 in the vicinity, in which were to be found spotted deer, bears, 

 panthers, and now and then even a tiger, besides abundance 

 of hares, black partridge, jungle and pea-fowl. Having 



