178 THE TIGER\s partiality TO PUTRID FLESH. 
evidently returned at night, and after demolishing a large 
portion of the rotten carcass, had coolly walked off with 
my prize, i.e,^ the capuL To be baulked in this impudent 
manner riled me not a little, and I searched far and wide for 
either my stolen property, or the bold thief, or both, but I 
was altogether unsuccessful However, Mr. Tiger taught 
me a lesson then which has stood me in good stead ever 
afterwards, as I could never forget the cool way in which I 
had been so cleverly done. 
" The plan usually adopted by the tiger is to allow^ the 
game he has killed, or others have killed to remain till the 
flesh stinks and becomes soft, w^ien he sets to and devours all 
he can, in fact gormandizes himself to a fearful extent, so 
much so, that he becomes slothful for a time and remains 
generally close to the spot. But the tiger, while his food 
is commencing to undergo the process of decomposition, in 
order to suit his vitiated palate, is careful to remain in close 
proximity to it, lest some intruder should make away with the 
carrion. I, on several occasions, have seen the bodies of 
wood-cutters, who have been taken away by tigers, rescued 
several days after, close to the lairs of the man - eaters, 
almost untouched. I once most unexpectedly disturbed a 
brace of tigers, apparently male and female, in fine, 
husband and wife, feasting on the putrid remains of a 
rhinocerous killed a week before. Par parent kese, one of 
above tigers was shot the next day while feeding on the 
perfectly rotten remnants of the rhino." 
" The above array of facts ought to convince all, aye, 
even the most sceptical, that tigers will eat game killed 
by the shikarie, and that they relish it when it is putres- 
cent." 
