the rains tigers are sometimes forced, like others of the cat
tribe, to take to trees. A Mr. McI. shot two large full grown, tigers
in a tree at Gunghara, and a Baboo of my acquaintance bagged no less
than eight in trees during one rainy season at Rampoor.

Tigers generally prefer remaining near water, and drink a great deal,
the quantity of raw meat they devour being no doubt provocative of
thirst.

The marks of their claws are often seen on trees in the vicinity of
their haunts, and from this fact many ridiculous stories have got
abroad regarding their habits. It has even been regarded by some
writers as a sort of rude test, by which to arrive at an approximate
estimate of the tiger's size. A tiger can stretch himself out some two
or two and a half feet more than his measurable length. You have
doubtless often seen a domestic cat whetting its claws on the mat, or
scratching some rough substance, such as the bark of a tree; this is
often done to clean the claws, and to get rid of chipped and ragged
pieces, and it is sometimes mere playfulness. It is the same with the
tiger, the scratching on the trees is frequently done in the mere
wantonness of sport, but it is often resorted to to clear the claws
from pieces of flesh, that may have adhered to them during a meal on
some poor slaughtered bullock. These marks on the trees are a valuable
sign for the hunter, as by their appearance, whether fresh or old, he
can often tell the whereabouts of his quarry, and a good tracker will
even be able to make a rough guess at its probable size and
disposition.

Like policemen, tigers stick to certain beats; even when disturbed,
and forced to abandon a favourite spot, they frequently return to it;
and although the jungle may be wholly destroyed, old tigers retain a
partiality for the scenes of their youthful depredations; they are
often shot in the most unlikely places, where there is little or no
cover, and one would certainly never expect to find them; they migrate
with the herds, and retire to the hills during the annual floods,
always coming back to the same jungle when the rains are over.

Experienced shekarries know this trait of the tiger's character well,
and can tell you minutely the colour and general appearance of the
animals in any particular jungle; they are aware of any peculiarity,
such as lameness, scars, &c., and their observations must be very keen
indeed, and amazingly accurate, as I have never known them wrong