TSE EOYAL TIGER OF BENGAL. 61 



"without teing disabled. Though mortally wounded 

 they go on fighting, and may do much damage, or 

 may even effect their escape. 



For ordinary howdah shooting, the smooth twelve- 

 bore for the average shots (which are at from 20 

 to 40 or 50 yards), with round or conical buUets, 

 and three drachms of powder, is sufficient ; for longer 

 shots, or* when on foot, the ordinary rifle or express 

 is essential ; but even for tigers the use of explosive 

 shells is to be deprecated ! A short double carbine 

 breech-loader of large bore would be most useful, as 

 would a pistol, either double-barrelled or on the 

 revolver principle, carrying a large bullet, say of the 

 bore of 8 or 10, according to the old round bullet 

 gauge. 



The following remarkable confirmation of the 

 tiger's vitality, and the danger attending the pursuit 

 on foot, is taken from a recent number of the Indian 

 Medical Gazette (March 2nd, 1874) : — 



" On the 17th of January last, when beating for a 

 supposed leopard, a fine tiger walked directly under 

 the tree, on a low branch of which I was sitting, 

 giving me a deliberate shot at a distance of not more 

 than four f«6t. He dropped on the spot, clawed 

 furiously at the ground, and turned round and 

 round for about fifteen seconds, then pulled himself 

 together, and set off at a gallop, getting my second 

 shot after going about thirty yards. This turned 



