5io CARNIVORA 



mouthfuls, but not objecting to the whelps eating as much as they 

 could find. There was a good deal of snarling and quarrelling 

 among these young lions, and occasionally a stand-up fight for a 

 minute, but their mother did not take any notice of them, except 

 to give them a smart blow with her paw if they got in her way. 

 . . . There was now little left of the zebra but a few bones, which 

 hundreds of vultures were circling round waiting to pick, while 

 almost an equal number hopped awkwardly about on the ground 

 within 50 or 60 yards of it, and the whole lion family walked 

 quietly away, the lioness leading, and the lion, often turning his 

 head to see that they were not followed, bringing up the rear." 



Though not strictly gregarious, Lions appear to be sociable 

 towards their own species, and often are found in small troops, 

 sometimes consisting of a pair of old Lions, with their nearly full- 

 grown cubs, but occasionally of adults of the same sex ; and there 

 seems to be good evidence that several Lions Avill associate together 

 for the purpose of hunting upon a preconcerted plan. As might 

 be supposed, their natural ferocity and powerful armature are 

 sometimes turned upon one another ; combats, often mortal, occur 

 among male Lions under the influence of jealousy ; and Andersson 

 relates an instance of a quarrel between a hungry Lion and Lioness 

 over the carcase of an Antelope which they had just killed, and 

 which did not seem sufficient for the appetite of both, ending in 

 the Lion not only killing, but even devouring his mate. Old Lions, 

 whose teeth have become injured with constant wear, often become 

 " man-eaters," finding their easiest means of obtaining a subsistence 

 in lurking in the neighbourhood of villages, and dashing into the 

 tents at night and carrying off one of the sleeping inmates. Lions 

 differ from most of the smaller Felidce- in never climbing trees ; 

 indeed, as mentioned before, they are rarely found in forests. 



With regard to the character of the Lion, those who have had 

 opportunities of observing it in its native haunts differ greatly. 

 The exaggerated accounts of early writers as to its courage, 

 nobility, and magnanimity have led to a reaction, which causes 

 some modern authors to speak of it in language quite the reverse, 

 and to accuse it of positive cowardice and all kinds of meanness. 

 Livingstone goes so far as to say, " Nothing that I ever learned of 

 the lion could lead me to attribute to it either the ferocious or 

 noble character ascribed to it elsewhere," and he adds that its roar 

 is not distinguishable from that of the ostrich. Of course these 

 different estimates depend to a great extent upon the particular 

 standard of the writer, and also upon the circumstance that 

 Lions, like other animals, undoubtedly show considerable individual 

 differences in character, and behave differently under varying cir- 

 cumstances. They are certainly not so reckless as to be entirely 

 devoid of the instinct of self-preservation, and if one, perhaps 



