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FURTHER NOTES ON MAN-EATING TIGERS. 



By Reginald Gilbert. 



{Read before the Bombay Natural History Society on Idth Sept., 1895.) 



On the 4th September, 1889, I last addressed the Society on the 

 above subject. This paper is printed at page 195 of Volume IV of the 

 Society's Journal, and I attempted to show that the general impression 

 prevailing about man-eaters as to their being old, mangy, lame, &c., 

 and unable to kill game was a myth, and I advanced a theory that man- 

 eaters inherit this vice from their parents or are taught it by their 

 parents or companions, so that the practice never dies out amongst the 

 tigers of the particular district inhabited by man-eaters. Since 3889, 

 with the exception of the case I am now about to describe, I have no 

 further reliable information to give about man-eaters. At the end of last 

 year I was informed by my friend Mr. G. W. Hudson, C.S., Assistant 

 Collector of Thana, that a man-eating tiger had appeared in the Thana 

 District, and that some of the contractors, who had taken contracts 

 to cut down Government jungles, were unable to get their men to work 

 in the jungles owing to the fear inspired by this tiger, who was alleged 

 to have killed many victims. However the number of its victims was, 

 as usual in these cases, greatly exa.ggerated, as subsequent careful in- 

 quiries in the district showed that only five victims were killed by 

 this man-eater during its short career. Mr. Hudson promised to invite 

 me to join him in beating for this tiger, or rather tigress, as soon as he 

 could spare the time and get reliable kubber. In January, 1895, I 

 received an invitation from Mr. Hudson to join him for a few days' 

 shikar after this beast, in the Thana jungles, towards the "Western 

 Ghats. I was told that her line of country was not an extensive one 

 and that, with a large number of beaters, we should probably be able 

 to get her. I regret to say that I was unable to join Mr. Hudson, but 

 he, in company with Mr. Hodgson of the Forest service and Mr. Cle- 

 ments, I.C.S., was successful in bagging her on the 28rd January, 1895, 

 together with her three cubs. She was not a full-grown tigress and only 

 measured 7 ft. 11 in. However, before I proceed to this part of the 

 story, I had better give a history of the animal, her victims, the locality, 

 &c. The information I have gained about her has been very care- 

 fully collected from patels and village and ])olice ofl&cials of the Dis- 



