18 The Carnivora. 
for supper, dashed at the affrighted cow, and stopped short, then 
gambolled round it like a kitten at play, jumping over its back, 
and enjoying the struggles of the poor beast to break from its 
tether. The cow repeatedly put down her head to charge so far 
as her tether would allow, but the tiger slipped out of the 
way like a snake. The object of all this maundering soon 
became apparent. Two large cubs sneaked out of the jungle to 
their mother to learn a lesson in the art and mystery of cow 
killing. For many minutes more the tigress continued enacting 
the comedy which was to end in a tragedy for the benefit of the 
little monsters, who, doubtless, but a few nights since had 
feasted on human flesh. During the whole time her active 
movements had rendered a successful shot impossible, otherwise 
my friend would have endeavoured to save the life of the cow; 
but this was impracticable if the tigress was to be bagged. 
Satisfied, apparently, with her amusement and the instruc- 
tion afforded to her young, the tigress suddenly crouched and 
sprang upon the shoulder of the cow, bringing her to the ground, 
and after a few minutes of. desperate struggling the poor beast 
ceased to move. The tigress then quietly sat down contem- 
plating her victim, with her back to the tree in which the 
watchers were posted. Here was the opportunity so long waited 
for, and in another instant a large spherical ball went crashing 
through her back. The tigress spun round like a teetotum, and 
fell a few yards from the cow, but almost immediately rose 
again and offered a broadside target, when another bullet 
stretched her out dead. The cubs had disappeared into the 
jungle at the first shot. 
No sign of life appearing in the tigress, my friend descended 
from the tree and examined the scene of slaughter. The cow 
was frightfully mauled both by teeth and claws, the throat torn 
open, the windpipe. penetrated, and the blood vessels of the neck 
bitten through. On moving the head in different directions it 
became evident that there was no dislocation of the vertebre ; 
all the work had been done by laceration of the throat and neck, 
from which the blood had flowed as freely as if a butcher had 
