350 SPORT IN BENGAL. 



accurate ball-shooting, practise on flying foxes and kites 

 on the wing. Avoid target-practice, as well as much firing 

 at fixed objects at which aim may be taken for an indefinite 

 time before the trigger is pulled. Such practice may be 

 very good for Volunteers, and even for soldiers ; but it is, I 

 think, positively detrimental to the sportsman, as inducing a 

 stiff, slow, and mechanical habit. 



Tigers, panthers, and deer often have to be fired at from 

 the howdah, when unseen and moving rapidly through high 

 grass or reeds ahead of the elephants, and there is a difficulty 

 in naming rules to be observed as to the line of fire, which, 

 perhaps, experience alone will teach ; as it will also whether 

 the motion of the grass is caused by one or another animal. 

 The height of the rider's elephant, that of the covert, and the 

 celerity and character of the movement must all be taken 

 into account. The great carnivora in moving off communicate 

 a slow waving motion to the grass or reeds ; pigs and deer a 

 more direct and rapid one, and these last usually make short 

 rushes. Samber and marsh-deer spring up with much com- 

 motion, and then dart forward at considerable speed ; the 

 last-named animal, however, is in the habit of pulling up 

 after going eighty or a hundred yards, to take a backward 

 look at its disturbers, thus presenting a standing shot. The 

 rush of a large herd of buffaloes through tall, stout reeds is 

 something worth seeing and hearing. Rhinoceros, being 

 rarely roused in any numbers together, and moving heavily 

 in a zig-zag course, may be readily distinguished from the last, 

 although altogether unseen from the back of the elephant. 



Guns and rifles, if discharged during the day, should be 

 cleaned before night, or at least before the camp settles to 

 rest, so as to be ready at any time next morning, as there is 

 no saying when they may be needed, since hot " khubber " or 

 news of game may arrive with daylight. The points and 

 edges of spear-heads will often need to be touched up with a 

 fine file to be fit for duty after a hard day's hog-hunting. 



The rule in camp life is " early to bed and early to rise," 

 and late sittings are the exception. In the cold season sport 



