LOSS OF MY DOG SKOB. 
227 
than I anticipated, entering through the back part of the ear, 
traversing the brain and passing through the opposite eye. 
The black variety is scarce in Southern India. I only saw one 
other during all the years I was on the hills, 
I had the misfortune to lose one of my best dogs from 
the bite of a leopard. 1 was coming home after having been 
all out the morning, a heavy mist had set in and I did not 
know where I was till 1 found myself in Kerekd Valley. I 
put the dogs through a little shola just above; the mist was so 
thick I could not see' above a dozen yards, and no sooner were 
the dogs in than I heard a half yelp, half scream, and the dog 
boy called out " Sahib, there's a tigen" I hastened to the top 
of the wood, where I found Bevis barking loudly, but disin- 
clined to go in again ; presently I heard a noise as of a jungle 
fowl Hying up into a tree, which made me think that the 
scream I liad heard was made by a monkey and that Snob 
was busy widi the jungle fowl ; on calling and whistling I 
heard a low sound— what I took to be pigeons. Alas 1 on 
listening attentively I found it was the moaning of poor Snob, 
Taking the big Laing and telling the lascar to follow closely 
with the other rifle, 1 forced my way tlirough the tangled 
jungle ; as I was making my way down the dog began yelling 
as if the Bhag" was on him again, so I fired off the rifle 
and shouted lustily. I soon found the poor dog lying on his 
back frightfully mauled about the head and his brain pro- 
truding through one bite just above the ear ; he was also 
bitten through the neck and shoulder, and from the bites I 
saw at once that a leopard had been at him. Putting the 
poor dog in a cumbly I hastened home, and as I came to 
the little shola, close by the pool of water, I saw the fresh 
track of a large sambur, and on ahead in the mist saw what I 
