EPT. 4 , 1909 .] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
397 
HE USES OF THE TIGER’S VOICE. 
dlonel Algernon Durand, writing on 
subject of tigers, remarks apropos their 
hod of stalking, that “that wonderful voice, 
most mournful sound in captivity is a 
erful aid to him in his hunting;” and having 
:ribed the long, low, penetrating moan 
;h, once heard, dwells for ever in the 
nory, he observes that the native shikari, 
, “in spite of Mowgli’s contempt, may know 
.ething of jungle ways, believes that the 
r, hearing the tiger’s voice and unable from 
reverberating nature of the sound to locate 
position of the enemy, stand or lie still 
so give him the chance of stalking his 
he suggestion, says the Asian, is an interest- 
one, and at least deserves consideration, 
e was when native report on any circum- 
ice connected with wild life was lightly put 
e as unworthy of credence, if it did not 
■pen to square with the meagre facts which- 
been accepted by science; but as time has 
sed, so many “native tales” have been 
'ved true, or, at least, based upon truth, that 
who waves aside mere native evidence can- 
be regarded as dependable. We have al- 
s maintained that any statement concerning 
1 beast habit, coming from a jungle-man of 
-age intelligence, is well worth careful irr¬ 
igation, always, of course, provided that it 
ot obviously at variance with common sense, 
is true that the point raised by Colonel 
•and is one, not of provable fact, but of 
ef. 
veryone knows that the first instinct of deer 
every other wild creature is to stand stone 
under the influence of alarm. Animals 
>w, we take it, that a motionless body may 
quite invisible, when a body in movement, 
■rever slight, would be instantly discovered. 
I: interesting part of the native’s belief is 
: the use of his voice by the tiger is pur- 
feful; that he uses it with the definite object 
Tightening his prey, to the end that it may 
id or lie (we are inclined to think most 
nals, when alarmed lying down, rise to their 
I and stand motionless, awaiting develop- 
ats; but let that pass) and give him the 
:nce of stalking it. 
an we accept this theory? It may be 
'wed at once that under certain topograph- 
. conditions the voice of the tiger echoes 
re-echoes in a fashion which makes it im- 
:sible for the human ear to “place” the ani- 
! , even to deciding from which point of the 
ipass it emanates. Are we to suppose that 
:r, with their remarkable powers of hearing, 
equally deceived? That the voice is in their 
is, so uncertain as to point of origin that that 
:ertainty is actually a distinct advantage to 
tiger? We must confess that we find it 
scult to accept this theory, the more so when 
consider that one of the most characteristic 
ilities of the tiger is the amazing silence with 
ch he traverses ground of any and every 
icription. It is a matter of common knowl- 
: e that the tiger who seeks to avoid notice 
lies through the jungle, over dead herbage 
every other matter which ought to betray 
: passage, without causing the faintest sound; 
1 under no circumstances is he more silent 
1 wary of movement than when stalking his 
'his is well worth considering. It seems to 
: that the possessor of this faculty of extra- 
dnarily noiseless movement would lose rather 
n gain by using his voice; he would give 
uy a point in the game, and that at a critical 
l?e. He does not roar or moan “at large” 
[-n hunting. The native idea mentioned by 
■ onel Durand is that he speaks when, and 
:y when, he views the quarry of his quest. In- 
nuch as in jungle he must come to fairly 
Ise quarters before he can sight his prey, we 
1 inclined to think that under that condition 
excellent auditory nerves of the deer would 
: the owner from which quarter danger might 
expected. In park-land open ground, or 
ong rocks we imagine the judicious tiger 
'fid carry his stalk to its fatal conclusion in 
sterly silence. Colonel Durand, with the 
:retion born of experience, does not com- 
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