388 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XIV. 



While on this subject, I should like to record that a specimen of the 

 pintailed sandgrouse {^Pieroclurus alchata) was recently shot near here by 

 Capt. L. Oldfield, E, F, A. He informs me that it was one of a flock of 20 or 25 

 which came down to drink somewhat earlier than P. exusius. I have heard 

 that others have also been shot, but Capt. Oldfield's is the only one I have 

 actually seen, I believe that this species has never been previously recorded 

 from anywhere so far to the south-east. 



P. arenarius (the large sandgrouse) have visited us this year in small num- 

 bers, and thus we get four species, viz., P. exusius and P. fasciatus permanent 

 residents, and P. arenarius and P. alchata occasional cold weather visitants. 

 I have never heard of the spotted sandgrouse (P. senegalus) being obtained 

 here, but they are common cold weather visitants to the Runn of Cutch and 

 other localities not far distant, and it is quite possible that a few may 

 sometimes reach Deesa. 



C. G. NURSE, Major, 

 Deesa, 2nd Fehruary, 1902. 13th Bomhay Infantry. 



No. XI.— TIGER NETTING IN MYSORE. 



Referring to the shooting trip of some visitors to the Mysore jungles, a 

 local paper recently had the following remark : — "It is reported that the tigers 

 have been netted for their sporting delectation, but we must refuse to believe 

 that the distinguished shikaris will tolerate sport of this kind,'' and it is 

 probable that, in spite of what Sanderson and others have written, there is 

 still a good deal of misconception about tiger netting, as pursued in Mysore, 

 which is a genuine native sport, well worth witnessing by any one interested 

 in wild beasts and their ways. As Sanderson says : " This is the only method 

 by which they can be brought to bay where the cover is too continuous to be 

 easily driven. It may seem unsportsmanlike to shoot a tiger through a net, 

 but as far as danger goes there is, perhaps, as much as in shooting him from a 

 tree." Obviously the fact that the tiger cannot escape takes away the sports- 

 man's pride in his shot, and the man with the rifle feels that he is playing 

 only a subordinate part in the game, but even so the shooting is not easy, and 

 killing a netted tiger is not a case of potting a beast pegged out on the ground 

 like the lion in the familiar picture in J^^sop's Fables, tbough this might be 

 supposed from the comments sometimes heard. 



The method of enclosing the beast is as follows:— When a tiger is to be 

 caught, the villagers are warned to be ready with their nets, and a buffalo 

 IS tied up in a likely jungle. On a kill occurring, the nets are feent ahead 

 a quarter of a mile or so from where the tiger is supposed to be lying up, and 

 erected in a crescent-shape across the line which the beast must take when 

 driven. The nets, of which every village in these parts keeps its own stock, 

 are made of stout rope with a large mesh, and run up to 40 feet in length with 

 a depth of 12 feet, and the line will often extend to a quarter of mile or more. 

 I'eaching right into the open country on either flank. Care is taken •io place 



