1832.] ' The Surrey Zoological Gardens. 591 



.place a Babel, " where none but savage monsters roar." The opportunity 

 was propitious for observing- the peculiarities of each of the various preda- 

 tory species. Crouching with his head between his paws, the noble African 

 Lion watched with an eye of intense expression the keeper's progress 

 round the dens : his sole intimation of impatience being a short guttural 

 bark. Next to him similarly posed was the lioness in a separate den, for 

 their excitement over their food is too great to render it safe for them to 

 remain in the same habitation, although at other times they are friendly and 

 even loving. The tiger is the next great feature of the place, and the 

 savageness which always lurks about his eye was now fully developed ; 

 repeated springs at the iron bars which confined him, and repeated roars 

 shewed pretty clearly his eagerness for food -, his neighbours the leopards, 

 (of which there are two species, African and Eastern,) bounding lightly 

 around their confined spaces, uttered no sounds, but only shewed their teeth- 

 formidable enough to be sure, yet not so much, as to dissipate the prepos- 

 session with which their meek looks and graceful conformations inspire 

 their visitors. There is also a remarkably fine Persian lion, the character 

 of whose countenance differs greatly from that of his neighbour the African. 

 The difference in the temperature of the countries whence they are respect- 

 ively brought, will sufficiently account for their physiognomical character- 

 istics. The arid and burning sands of the African desert are indicated in 

 the stern, though not ill-natured aspect of him of the black, shaggy, erect 

 mane ; whilst the softer expression of eye, and white curling mane of the 

 Persian, are to be referred to the luxurious climate and the shaded woods 

 of the banks of the Euphrates. There is a remarkable difference also to be 

 observed in the manner of devouring their food, between the lion and the 

 tigers, panthers and leopards. The first seizes his bone boldly, and con- 

 fronts his keeper with an angry majesty which nothing short of an attempt 

 to recover the gift will disturb, and even that is met no farther than with 

 an impatient lifting of his paw, and the change of color in his eye from 

 green to coal-red. The tiger and the rest seize their portions with a 

 scream of delight, and turning their backs on the glare of day, cease not 

 to growl, and tug at the flesh and muscle until not a vestige is left on the 

 bone, which they leisurely strip of the peritoneum, by licking it with their 

 rough tongues. 



There are other objects of almost equal interest within this well-con- 

 trived habitation, which deserve notice j but let us pass out at one of the 

 doors, and proceed to a building which is seen through the windows, the en- 

 trance of which is surmounted by a pair of magnificent horns, originally the 

 appurtenances of an Indian bull. This building contains, amongst other 

 interesting specimens of natural history, a pair of gnus of great beauty ; 

 to please us, and to shew them to advantage, they were let out into 

 the paddock which adjoins their place of confinement ; and the graceful 

 antics by which they testified their pleasure, were of themselves a sufficient 

 reward for our walk. The droll appearance of their heads, which are 

 covered with long bristles, extending to the dewlap and to the shoulder ; 

 the breadth of their nostrils, and the massive and formidable horns with 

 which they are armed, give these curious brutes the look of a pair of 

 devils. They are formed with great power, and also great capability for 

 speed, the depth of the shoulder, and extent of muscle, being very remark- 

 able. Their legs are as fine as those of any thoroughbred, and their 

 action on a trot surpasses that of any horse we ever saw. Most of our 



