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MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 



No. I.— BLACK TIGERS {FELIS TIGRIS). 



With reference to Miscellaneous Note No. II in the Journal of the 

 Society, Vol. XXII, No. 4, I also believe that I once saw a black tiger. In 

 the autumn of 1895 I was shooting in company with Mr. C, J. Maltby, now 

 of Harrow-on-the Hill, in ths Cardamon Hills of Travancore. I had shot a 

 bison rather late in the day on a high hill which lay full in view of our 

 camp. Being unable to do any skinning before dark we left the carcase 

 and the next morning sent out some hill men to bring in the head. I was 

 watching their progress through a field glass when I observed a large black 

 animal basking on a piece of rock ; I drew my companion's attention to it ; 

 he fetched his telescope and almost at once handed it to me with the 

 remark that the animal was a black tiger ; I myself had already come to the 

 same conclusion and further observation through the telescope confirmed 

 me in my opinion. We could now see the hill men suddenly stop as if they 

 too had observed the animal ; the men ultimately continued their advance 

 by another route and the animal no doubt observing them, got up and went 

 away. When questioned on their return to camp the hill men stated that 

 they had seen a tiger and that it had been feeding on the bison. Very 

 heavy rain came on that night and when we were able to visit the spot no 

 foot-prints could be seen. 



I may mention that black panthers are not extremely rare in the jungles 

 of Travancore. 



STEWART CAPPER, Majok. 



Agar, 2lst July 1912. 



No. II.— PANTHER KEPT FROM KILL BY PARIAH DOGS. 



Last season when camped at Rojam, a village in Dohad Taluka of this 

 District, on January 6th I was informed in the morning that a panther had 

 killed a cow near a Bhil's house about a mile away. I went at once to the 

 spot and found the dead animal, partially eaten, lying in the open, about 

 100 yards away from the house. The Bhils in those parts do not live in 

 villages but in separate houses scattered about at short distances over the 

 country-side. 



I had the carcass dragged along the ground to a suitable tree about 50 

 yards away from the house and a machan built in the tree. 



I returned in the afternoon and sat up for the panther. Soon after I 

 got into the machan two ordinary pariah-dogs came out from the house 

 and started feeding on the dead cow. 



As it got dark, there was no moon, the panther arrived, went to the 

 original spot where he had left the cow and from there followed up the 

 trail of the carcass and saw it and the dogs under the tree. 



Instead of going on to the kill he lay down to one side about 30 yards 

 away growling at the dogs. I was then surprised to see that the dogs, 

 evidently annoyed at being disturbed in their meal did not appear to be 

 afraid of the panther but stood just by the kill barking furiously. This, 

 performance went on for an hour or so, the dogs not giving way an inch, 

 and would have contained longer but my Shikari, from the house, called 

 the dogs off. 



Then after waiting a good long time, the panther came slowly on to the 

 kill. It was quite dark, I turned on the light and fired, he rushed oft' but 

 was found dead next morning on the edge of the forest about |- mile 

 away. 



D. BOURKE, i.F.s. 

 GoDHRA, Panoh Mahals, July 3Isf, 1914, 

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