TIGER SLAYER BY ORDER 



the most powerful elements in the attack being the startling, 

 coughing roar with which it is invariably accompanied, 

 a sound so intense in volume and ferocity as to be almost 

 paralyzing to the coolest, and once heard can never be 

 forgotten or mistaken for any other sound. 



Wounds from a tiger's teeth or claws are ver^'^ often 

 fatal, blood poisoning usually setting in, besides the shock 

 to the system which is naturally very great. Tigers do 

 not breed at any fixed seasons. I have taken cubs in 

 April and October — on two occasions four at a litter, but 

 this is unusual, three being the more common number, 

 and occasionally two. The cubs, as with pups and kittens, 

 are born blind. 



Tigers not infrequently devour their young, hence it 

 is seldom that a tigress with young cubs will be found in 

 the same jungle with her mate. A tigress remains with her 

 cubs till they are almost full grown and able to take care 

 of themselves. While under her charge she is most 

 assiduous in teaching them to kill. When very young she 

 feeds them with gobbets of half -digested flesh which she 

 disgorges on her return from hunting. I was once an 

 eye-witness to this interesting performance while watching, 

 unperceived, a tigress with her cubs. 



Tiger cubs make charming pets if taken young. I have 

 reared several, but have never kept them for any length of 

 time. They thrive best on raw meat. The fat of a tiger 

 is considered by the natives a valuable cure for rheumatism, 

 as also is milk taken from a tigress. 



I remember one occasion, while following the tracks of 

 a bison, coming upon the deserted lair of a tigress, where 

 amongst other evidence of her recent occupation, the 

 Bhils discovered some white, chalky-looking substance. 

 They collected this with delight, exclaiming that it was 

 tiger's milk and would command a good price in the market 

 as medicine. 



It seems that the tigress had apparently been deserted 

 by her cubs, and the overflow of milk had solidified. I 

 kept a small portion, which I sent to the Chemical Analyser 

 to the Government of Bombay with a view to its being 

 examined, but received no reply. 



Years afterwards, happening to meet this official, I 

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