MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 245 



The bird is, I believe, well known in other parts from Eastern Europ • 

 to Japan. 



T. R. BELL. 

 Karachi, 10$ January 1906. 



No. XXV— A LARGE DHAMAN (ZAMEN1S MUCOSUS). 



I have found here, at Amalchuni, Mandvi Taluka of Snrat, the complete cast; 

 skin of a dbaman or rat snake, Zamenis (Ptyas) mucosus, which probably takes 

 the record. It is in two pieces, and in its wrinkled state without stretching- 

 reaches to 9 feet 9 inches, i.e., snout to anus 7-2, tail 2-7. 



F. GLEADOW, I.F.S. 

 Camp Bandra, 8th February 1906. 



[In our copy of Boulenger's Reptiles (Fauna of British India Series J I 

 find entered against Zamenis mucosus in Mr. J. Mason's hand writing, " I killed 

 a Zamenis mucosus in the rice fields alongside Mahim Station, which measured 

 11 feet 9 inches." Vr. Mason was for several years custodian of our Museum. 



W. 8. Millard, 

 Hony. Secretary, Bombay Nat. Hist. Socy.} 



No. XXVI- HOW TIGERS KILL THEIR PREY. 



Sin, — I have noticed a good deal of correspondence about the method in 

 which tigers kill their prey. I have taken considerable trouble to find out how 

 they kill large game. Some time ago I was asked to come and see a full-grown 

 bullock that had been killed by a tiger. On examining it I found the animal 

 had its neck broken, and there were claw marks on the nose and shoulder, 

 but nowhere else. There was no doubt that the tiger had jumped at the bull 

 and landed on the shoulder, and when the bull turned his head to gore the tiger, 

 he must have put his claw out and with a sudden jerk broken the neck. On 

 another occasion I went to see a young buffalo which had been killed by a tiger, 

 and found the same thing had happened. There were similar marks on the 

 nose and also on the near shoulder, which clearly indicated that this animal had 

 been killed in the same way. Malays who have actually seen a tiger killing a 

 buffalo told me they saw the same thing happen, also that in dragging off a 

 heavy carcase, such as buffalo or bull, that he gets most of the weight across 

 his shoulder. This must be fairly correct, as I have often followed a kill, and 

 the marks left indicated that only a portion of the animal was trailing along 

 the ground. I have known a full grown bull which ten men could not move 

 dragged for two miles by a tiger in heavy jungle, where roots of trees and 

 swamp had to be gone through. In no case have I seen the pug marks facing 

 the wrong way except when stopping to feed, which proves he must carry a 

 portion of the animal over his shoulder. The old idea of a tiger killing large 

 game by a blow from his paw is nonsense ; besides, in this country a tiger never 

 faces his prey, but attacks him on the flank, unless charged. Another curious 

 fact that may seem very like a fairy tale is that a tiger does not seem to mind 



