16 The Carnivora. 
are bustling the imprisoned tiger about, and he endeavours to 
break through their ranks, or turns from the levelled spear 
points. At these times he will lie in a thick patch of jungle 
invisible to his enemies, uttering resounding growls, but still 
reluctant to begin hostilities, while all the available forces of 
the party is summoned to the spot to put an ignominious end 
to the “ Royal” tiger, whose dead carcase becomes a butt for 
the scorn and rage of his destroyers. 
The prodigious destruction of animal and human life in India 
is not a little owing to the reluctance on superstitious grounds 
of a large section of the natives to destroy these carnivorous 
pests, under the belief that the malevolent spirit of the animal 
will haunt and persecute them, the name of the tiger being 
mentioned often with bated breath; but there is no objection to 
a European performing the part of executioner. Certain portions 
of the body, such as the heart, liver, fat, and some of the flesh, 
are credited with supernatural powers, and carefully preserved, 
the vibrisse being particularly in request for the purpose of 
surreptitiously mixing with the food of an obnoxious person, 
under the absurd impression that these hairs are slow but certain 
poison. The claws and fangs are also valued as trophies; and it 
is nearly impossible to prevent the natives from stealing them. 
Much discussion has taken place on the question as to the 
exact manner in which the tiger kills its prey. Some assert that 
it is done by biting through the vertebre of the neck, others that 
the head of the victim is violently wrenched backwards, and the 
neck broken. The alleged smashing of the skull of a buffalo or 
ox by a blow of the paw is perhaps apocryphal. The brain 
case of bovine animals is quite small in relation to the face, and 
well protected by strong bone, and not an easy thing to break into 
with a bullet driven by a heavy charge. They probably kill how 
they can, by tearing out the vital parts or lacerating the large 
blood vessels—for instance, the carotids in the neck—just in what 
ever way is most convenient at the moment. The operation is, 
of course, only seen when the victim is a living bait tied up to 
entice a tiger within gun shot. 
