40 THE EOTAL TIGMM OF BENGAL. 



of tigers was exhibited in the South Kensington 

 Museum. 



Speaking of the destruction of life by ■wild animals, 

 Captain E. says, in Lower Bengal alone, in a period 

 of six years ending in 1866, 13,400 human beings 

 were killed by wild animals, whilst 18,196 wild ani- 

 mals were killed in the same period at a cost of 

 65,000 rupees; and it appears, moreover, that the 

 Government reports show that in these six years 

 ending in 1866, 4,218 persons were killed by tigers, 

 1,407 by leopards, 4,287 by wolves, and the remain- 

 der by other animals ; the tiger and wolf thus claim- 

 ing nearly equal shares. The worst district in 

 Bengal Proper is that of Eungpore, in the Rajshahye 

 Division, the yearly loss of life being between 55 and 

 60 persons. In Bengal Proper alone about 1,200 

 tigers are killed annually ; of these 4 per cent, are 

 cubs. Next to Bengal come the Central Provinces, 

 and then certain parts of Madras. 



The Chief Commissioner's reports of the Central 

 Provinces show that in 1866-67, 372 ; in 1867-68, 

 289 ; in 1868-69, 285 persons were killed by tigers. 



The District Magistrate from Dhera Dhoon writes : 

 — " Man-eating tigers are quite an exception in 

 Oude and Rohilcund ; one is heard of in every six 

 years, but he is invariably killed after a short lapse 

 of time." Captain Eogers says, however, that 

 tigers are man-eaters by nature and instinct, not by 



