i62 
WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WA YS 
CHAP. 
become so crisp from the extreme heat that they 
crackle when trod upon like broken glass. It will 
be readily understood that any form of shooting 
excepting driving is quite impossible under these 
conditions, as no person could approach any animal 
on foot owing to the noise occasioned by treading 
upon the withered leaves. 
The habits of the tiger being thoroughly under¬ 
stood, it becomes necessary under all circumstances 
to employ the village shikari. This man is generally 
more or less ignorant and obstinate, but he is sure 
to know his own locality and the peculiar customs 
of the local tiger. It is one of the mysterious 
characteristics of this animal that it invariably 
selects particular spots in which it will lay up ; to 
these secure retreats it will retire ; therefore, should 
a fresh track be discovered upon the sandy bed of 
a nullah or upon a dusty footpath in the jungles, it 
may be safely inferred that the tiger is lying in one 
or other of its accustomed haunts. The village 
shikari will quickly determine from what direction 
the tiger has arrived; he will then suggest the 
probable route that the animal will take whenever it 
may be disturbed. 
Should the tiger be killed, another will occupy 
its place a few months later, and this will assuredly 
assume the same habits as its predecessor; it will 
frequent the same haunts, lay up in the same spots, 
and drink at the same places; although it may have 
never associated with or even seen the tiger which 
formerly occupied the same locality. 
