His force and muscular power he manifests outwardly by his prodigious leaps and bounds; by the strong and quick agitation of his tail, which alone is sufficient to throw a man on the ground; by the facility with which he moves the skin of his face, and particularly that of his forehead, which adds greatly to his physiognomy, or rather to the expression of fury in his countenance; and lastly, by the facility he has of shaking his mane, which is not only bristled up, but moved and agitated on all sides, when he is enraged.

The largest lions are about eight or nine feet in length, from the snout to the insertion of the tail, which is of itself four feet long; and these large lions are about four or five feet in height. Those of the small size are about five feet and a half in length, and three and a half in height. In all her dimensions, the lioness is about one fourth less than the lion.

The lion is furnished with a mane, which becomes longer in proportion as he advances in age. The lioness, however, is without this appendage at every age.

Both the ancients and the moderns allow that the lion, when newly born, is in size hardly superior to a weasel; in other words, that he is not more than six or seven inches long; and if so, some years at least must necessarily elapse before he can increase to eight or nine feet. They likewise mention, that he is not in a condition to walk till two months after he is brought forth; but, without giving entire credit to these assertions, we may, with great appearance of truth, conclude that the lion, from the largeness of his size, is at least three or four years in growing, and that, consequently, he must live seven times three or four years, that is, about twenty-five years. It is usually supposed that the lion is not possessed of the sense of smelling in such perfection as most other animals of prey. It is also remarked that too strong a light incommodes him; that he seldom goes abroad in the middle of the day; that he commits all his ravages in the night; and that when he sees a fire kindled near a herd or flock, he will not venture near it; that though his sight is bad, it is not, however, so faulty as his smell; and that, unlike the dog or the wolf, he rather hunts by the former than by the latter.

The lion, when hungry, boldly attacks all animals that come in his way; but, as he is very formidable, and as they all seek to avoid him, he is often obliged to hide, in order to take them by surprise. For this purpose he crouches upon his belly, in some thicket, or among the long grass, which is found in many parts of the forest. In this retreat he continues, with patient expectation, until his prey comes within a proper distance; and he then springs after it with such force, that he often seizes it at the first bound. If he misses the effort, and in two or three reiterated springs cannot seize his prey, he continues motionless for a time, seems to be very sensible of his disappointment, and waits for a more favorable opportunity. He devours a great deal at a time, and generally fills himself for two or three days to His teeth are so strong that he very easily breaks the bones, and swallows them with the rest of the body. It is reported that he sustains

come.

hunger a very long time; but thirst he cannot support in an equal degree, his temperament being extremely hot. He drinks as often as he meets with water, lapping like a dog. He generally requires about fifteen pounds of raw flesh in a day; and seldom devours the bodies of animals when they begin to putrefy; but he chooses rather to hunt for fresh spoil than return to that which he had half devoured before. While young and active, the lion subsists on what he can obtain by the chase, and seldom quits his native deserts and forests; but when he becomes old, heavy, and less qualified for exercise, he approaches the habitations of man, to whom, and to domestic animals, he then becomes a more dangerous enemy. It is observed, however, that when he sees men and animals together, it is always on the latter, never on the former, that he vents his fury; unless indeed he should be struck, and then, at no loss to know whence the blow came, he instantly deserts his prey, in order to obtain revenge for the injury. The flesh of the ,camel he is said to prefer to that of any other animal. He is likewise exceedingly fond of that of young elephants, which, from their inability to resist him till they have received the assistance of their tusks, he easily dispatches, when unprotected by the dam; nor are there any animals able to oppose the lion, but the elephant, the rhinoceros, the tiger, and the hippopotamus.

However terrible this animal may be, it is not uncommon, with dogs of a large size, and well supported with a proper number of men on horseback, to chase him, dislodge him, and force him to retire. But for this enterprise it is necessary that the dogs, and even the horses, should be previously disciplined; since almost all animals tremble and fly at the very smell of the lion.

Though the skin of the lion is firm and compact, it is not, however, proof against a musket ball, nor even a javelin; but he is seldom known to be dispatched with one blow. Like the wolf, he is frequently taken by stratagem; and for this purpose a deep hole is dug in the earth, over which, when slightly covered with earth and sticks, some living animal is fastened as a bait. When thus entrapped, all his fury subsides; and if advantage is taken of the first moments of his surprise, or his disgrace, he may easily be chained, muzzled, and conducted to a place of security.

The flesh of the lion is of a strong and disagreeable flavor; yet the negroes and the Indians do not dislike it, and it frequently forms a part of their food.

The good qualities, and particularly the courage and magnanimity of the lion, have been the theme of panegyric to Buffon, and other writers on natural history. Later naturalists, however, are disposed to estimate his merits at a lower rate. "The 'lordly lion,'" says Godman, "conceals himself near the places where deer and other animals come to drink, and springs upon them from his ambush, like the veriest tom-cat; having feeble sight, and being unfit for the chase, he follows the wild dogs and chacals,

which run down buffaloes, antelopes, &c., and when they have succeeded, drives them off and gorges to repletion; as he relinquishes the carcass when satiated, he is called generous; as he does not attack and devour men, when not hungry, he is considered magnanimous; he retires slowly, facing his enemies, being unable to run with speed, and is celebrated for his noble spirit; and, as he does not kill the wild dogs and other small animals, because it is not in his power to catch them, he is then called clement; while in virtue of his great strength, dreadful claws, horrid teeth, and awful roar, he is considered as altogether royal. Yet this king of quadrupeds has not half the moral excellence of a poodle dog, nor a thousandth part of the dignity of character possessed by the elephant. He is, moreover, no match for the great tiger of Asia, which, in ferocity, savage daring, audacious destructiveness, unconquerable and unappeasable hatred to mankind, is infinitely more royal, and a more consistent emblem of a great number of human kings, who have aided, in various ages and countries, to retard the progress of improvement and the march of mind."

"At the time when men first adopted the lion as the emblem of courage," says that intelligent traveller, Mr Burchell, "it would seem that they regarded great size and strength as indicating it; but they were greatly mistaken in the character they have given to this indolent, skulking animal, and have overlooked a much better example of courage, and of other virtues also, in the bold and faithful dog." Mr Barrow also brands him with the character of cowardly and treacherous.

"His forbearance and generosity," says Mr Bennett, "if the facts be carefully investigated, will be found to resolve themselves into no more than this: that in his wild state he destroys only to satiate his hunger or revenge, and never, like the gaunt wolves,' and the 'sullen tigers,' of whom the poet has composed his train, in the wantonness of his power and the malignity of his disposition; and that, when tamed, his hunger being satisfied, and his feelings being free from irritation, he suffers smaller animals to remain in his den uninjured, is familiar with, and sometimes fond of, the keeper, by whom he is attended and fed, and will even, when under complete control, submit to the caresses of strangers.

"But even this limited degree of amiability, which, in an animal of less formidable powers, would be considered as indicating no peculiar mildness of temper, is modified by the calls of hunger, by the feelings of revenge, which he frequently cherishes for a considerable length of time; and by various other circumstances, which render it dangerous to approach him unguardedly, even in his tamest and most domesticated state, without previously ascertaining his immediate state of mind. On such occasions, no keeper possessed of common prudence, would be rash enough to venture on confronting him, He knows too well, that it is no boy's play to

seek the lion in his den,

And fight him there, and make him tremble there:

for in this state of irritation, from whatever cause it may have arisen, he gives free scope to his natural ferocity, unrestrained by that control to which, at other times, he submits with meek and unresisting patience."

It appears, however, to be a well authenticated fact, that neither the lion nor the tiger can bear the steady gaze of the human eye, but are completely cowed by it. A writer in the South African Journal, says, "the Bechuano chief, old Peyshow, now in Cape Town, conversing with me a few days ago, said that the lion very seldom attacks man if unprovoked; but he will frequently approach within a few paces and survey him steadily; and sometimes he will attempt to get behind him, as if he could not stand his look, but was yet desirous of springing upon him unawares. If a person, in such circumstances, attempts either to fight or to fly, he incurs the most imminent peril; but if he have sufficient presence of mind coolly to confront him, without appearance of either terror or aggression, the animal will, in almost every instance, after a little space, retire. The overmastering effect of the human eye upon the lion has been frequently mentioned, though much doubted by travellers; but, from my own inquiries among lion hunters, I am perfectly satisfied of the fact; and an anecdote related to me a few days ago, by Major Mackintosh, proves that this fascinating effect is not restricted to the lion. An officer in India, well known to my informant, having chanced to ramble into a jungle, suddenly encountered a royal tiger. The rencontre appeared equally unexpected on both sides, and both parties made a dead halt, earnestly gazing on each other. The gentleman had no firearms, and was aware that a sword would be no effective defence in a struggle for life with such an antagonist! But he had heard that even the Bengal tiger might be sometimes checked by looking him firmly in the face. He did so in a few minutes, the tiger, which appeared prepared to make his final spring, grew disturbed-slunk aside-and attempted to creep round upon him behind. The officer turned constantly upon the tiger, which still continued to shrink from his glance; but darting into the thicket, and again issuing forth at a different quarter, it persevered for above half an hour in this attempt to catch him by surprise; till at last it fairly yielded to the contest, and left. the gentleman to pursue his pleasure walk. The direction he now took, as may be easily believed, was straight to the tents, at double quick time."

THE uniformity of his color is one characteristic which distinguishes the lion from his congeners of the feline race. Except in his young state, when there is an appearance of stripes, he is of a pale tawny above, which becomes somewhat lighter beneath. A second mark is, the long and flowing mane of the full grown male, which, commencing nearly at the root of his nose, extends. backwards over his shoulders, and gracefully undulates on each side of his face and neck. A third is, a long and blackish tuft of hairs which terminates his tail. In size, the Asiatic lion rarely equals the southern African. He is of a more uniform and pale yellow, and has a peculiar appendage in the long hairs which begin beneath the neck, and occupy the whole of the middle line of the body below.

The lioness has no mane, is of smaller size than the lion, more slenderly and delicately made, and more graceful and agile in her movements. The head of the lion is almost uniformly elevated; that of the lioness is almost uniformly carried on a level with the line of her back, which gives her a sullen and downcast look. The period of gestation is a hundred and eight days. The young are born with the eyes open; but the ear does not become completely erect for two months. The lion arrives at maturity in five years, and is then nearly eight feet long.