MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 1345 



folk. Within a few miles of where I was one day camped, the pugs of 

 a tiger had been seen in a dry water course in which there were two small 

 pools of water where apparently the animal had drunk on the previous 

 night. I intended to tie up in the water course and see if I could get the 

 tiger. I went down in the afternoon and found that round the first pool 

 branches of trees had been arranged to scare birds and prevent them 

 from drinking there. At the second pool the same had been done and also 

 a small but of green boughs had been erected a few yards from the pool. 

 In this case, however, a wet patch of sand had been left to entire thirsty 

 birds on a sultry afternoon in the middle of the hot weather. Hidden 

 just under the surface of the sand, was a jointed wooden frame working 

 in the same way as a spring trap, with fine netting on either side of the 

 frame. This frame was connected by a long cord to the hut in which the 

 bird catcher and his son sat. By pulling the cord, any unfortunate bird 

 up to the size of a peacock was secured the moment it put its feet on the 

 enticing piece of wet sand. There is nothing to prevent the jungle man 

 catching his birds in this manner and one might just as well talk to him 

 of the evolution of the seroplane as attempt to reason with him concerning 

 extermination. When T got up to the pool I asked to see what sport 

 they had had and in the hands of an urchin of some 8 summers were the 

 plucked remains of 3 unfortunate still-fluttering birds, one of which was 

 the beautiful male Pitta brachyura. I put an end to their sufl'erings as 

 speedily as possible. I felt it my duty, although I cannot flatter myself 

 that it would have any lasting effect, to protest against the needless bar- 

 barity of plucking these unfortunate birds alive and after thoroughly 

 explaining to the man my reasons, destroyed the trap. I sat up that 

 evening and no tiger came, but the hen of this lovely thrush ( Fitta 

 brachyura ) was hopping round picking up insects and with those dark 

 patches like large tear drops looked as if she was mourning the cruel fate 

 of her mate. 



A plea for the Central Province buffalo. 



I do not think any one will dispute the fact that this splendid animal 

 is fast disappearing and sportsmen of former years would turn in their 

 graves were they be acquainted with the conditions that now exist. 



In conversation with . a well known sportsman, a forest officer, some 

 time ago, the subject of preservation of bufi"alo cropped up, and I remember 

 him saying that it was very disheartening, as a stock of these animals 

 may have been preserved and looked after for years only to be wiped out 

 by some cattle disease which may attack them at any time. It appears 

 to me now that this risk might be lessened and possibly entirely avoided 

 the part of the country frequented by these animals consists of undulating 

 plains of grass and scrub jungle and are the grazing grounds of thousands 

 of cattle brought into the country from the Deccan by "Banjaras" ( a 



