ON THE HABITS OF TIGERS 101 
able to judge where the beast is harbouring for the 
day. He will also give a good-guess as to the trails 
the animal will be likely to follow when starting on 
the evening’s hunting. If there is time, it is best to 
make sure by tracking in a wide circle, on the chance 
of finding that the tiger has left ; and if not, then on 
each of the exits a young buffalo should be tied in a 
manner that does not arouse suspicion. Then there 
is a chance that during the night one may be killed, 
unless, indeed, the tiger has secured a meal within 
the area that has been examined. It arouses sus- 
picion when an animal is tethered by a rope round 
its neck, when it is placed on a road or path, when 
it is provided with a pile of wheaten straw and a 
drinking-trough—in fact, when there is anything 
unusual in its attitude or surroundings ; therefore 
the buffalo should be secured by the fore-foot, so 
that it can stand or lie down at pleasure; and it 
should be supplied with leaf-fodder, and be placed to 
one side of the road, and under the shelter of trees, 
so as to present the appearance of having strayed for 
the purpose of grazing. Moreover, there must be in 
the close vicinity both cover and water, so that the 
tiger may drag his kill away, and remain to protect 
it during the day from jackals and birds of prey. 
It is a mistake to visit the buffaloes too early in 
the morning, for often a tiger will hunt all night, 
and, being unsuccessful, will return to kill a buffalo 
he has before despised ; and unless you have a per- 
fectly trustworthy and truthful man, the latter 
being rather rare, it will be best to visit the buffaloes 
yourself, and so judge of the size of the tiger, and, 
from the direction of the “ drag,” surmise where it 
