NO. 2190. EFFECTS OF ENVIRONMENT ON LIONS— HOLUSTER. 179 



rear end of the box fitted with a grating. This opening was covered over when 

 the animals were shipped from Port Said to protect them from the colder 

 weather that would come during the remainder of the journey. At the park 

 the lions were put into cages 10 feet wide, 8 feet deep from front to back, and 

 7 feet high. They were kept in these for about two years and then transferred 

 to cages 12 feet 6 inches wide, 12 feet deep from front to back, and 9 feet high. 

 These latter cages connect with outdoor cages 20 feet wide, 33 feet deep from 

 front to back, and 10 feet high. The lions had free access to these outside 

 cages during the day, whenever the weather was suitable. 



While they were at Juja Farm the lions were fed mainly on zebra and kon- 

 goni (Coke's hartebeest), which usually were to be had for the shooting within 

 a mile of the house. The whole dressed carcass was used and the lions were 

 given sections from any part of it. They were liberally fed and apparently 

 had a fair proportion of bone with the meat. I gave them zebra meat till 

 October 20, then beef, mostly neck and shoulder, till November 1. Owing to 

 an accident on the railroad it was impossible to give them either food or water 

 from 6 a. m. of October 2G to noon of October 28, although during the first day 

 they were exposed to the hot sun on an open car. From November 3 to 7, three 

 sheep, bought at Djibouti, were fed them. November 9 to 22 they had beef, 

 and the 23d and 24th a goat each day. From November 2G to 30 beef from 

 Malta v^as fed. This was hind quarter, largely " round," as I found that beef 

 from any part of the body was priced the same, and hind quarter gave the most 

 meat for the money. From December 1 to 16 the lions were fed on goat meat, 

 one goat being butchered each day, or one every second day, as the supply 

 dwindled. From December 17 they were fed on beef. At the park the lions 

 were given cuts of beef from brisket, shoulder blade, and short ribs, with, occa- 

 sionally, upper shin or shoulder cut. At first they were given 8 pounds daily, 

 which was increased, as they grew, to 10, 12, and finally a maximum of 14 

 pounds during the winter months to the two males. Most of this was cold- 

 storage beef, and occasionally it was necessary to use some that had been frozen. 



All of the lions appeared to be in perfect health when shipped and when they 

 reached the park, except that the male (No. 2297) had a smnll abscess in one 

 cheek, and that all were infested with roundworm and tapeworm. The tape- 

 worm was probably acquired from the kongoni, the meat of which I was told is 

 generally " measly." 



The male lion No. 2297 (U.S.N.M., No. 197944) died March 1, 1914, of 

 chronic gastroenteritis. He had been ill for about 10 months, could not prop- 

 erly digest his food, and was emaciated. He became blind about 18 months 

 after his arrival at the park and remained so for about three mouths, then 

 began to recover liis sight, the pupil, which had been fully expanded, gradu- 

 ally contracting as the eye responded to the light.* 



Male No. 2367 (U.S.N.^M., No. 199707) was shot .July 1, 1915, as he was unfit 

 for exhibition. Autopsy showed considerable softening at the base of the brain, 

 but other organs appeared to be practically normal. This lion became blind 

 about 15 months after arrival and did not regain sight. The effects of the 

 brain iesion were first noticed about two years before death and increased until 

 the animal was finally killed. He always ate well and was in good flesh. 



Female No. 2209 (U.S.N.M., No. 176201) di'ed March 22, 1913, from choking. 

 She was a hasty eater, bolting her food, and this time a large piece of meat 

 lodged in her throat and she died before help could be given. She kept in 



1 This Is the only skull among the five which shows p.ithologlcal conditions In the 

 bone. The shape and general characters of the skull are exactly as in the others, but 

 the bone is very light and flaky. — N. H. 



