NO. 2106. EFFECTS OF ENVIRONMENT ON LIONS— HOLLISTER. 181 



observed from in front ; they present a somewhat darker aspect when 

 viewed from the rear. 



Males. — Wild-killed adult males of Felis leo massaica are all of 

 a very uniform color. The general appearance is that of grayish 

 buff animal, a very light-colored lion with virtually no deep ochra- 

 ceous or dark brown in the hue of the skin. The general body color 

 is the effect of pinkish buff hairs tipped with blackish, the dark tips 

 considerably grizzling the otherwise general pure buff coloration. 

 The hairs of the belly, throat, and insides of limbs lack the black 

 tips and these parts are, as a consequence, almost pure pinkish buff 

 in color. The tufts at the back of the elbows are comparatively 

 short, mixed buff and brown. The mane varies greatly in different 

 animals, but averages much shorter than in captive lions, is rather 

 coarse haired, and comparatively light in color. It is produced on 

 the withers in a narrow line and is almost entirely wanting on the 

 shoulders. The tail is more gray, less buff than the body, but lacks 

 any suggestion of ochraceous. 



The first male McMillan lion to die in the park was No. 197944, 

 March 1, 1914. He had been in "Washington a little over four years 

 and was, according to Mr. Baker's records, about six years of age at 

 the time of death. The skull shows a fully adult animal with basi- 

 sphenoid suture obliterated and with a fully developed sagittal crest. 

 The skin is considerably darker, more ochraceous buff or cinnamon 

 buff, than in wild-killed males of the same age. The general color 

 of the back is more cinnamon buff; the black hair tips, though 

 present, are less conspicuous against the darker ground color and the 

 general appearance is therefore less grizzled, more reddish. The 

 belly, throat, and inner sides of limbs are decidedly pinkish cinnamon 

 instead of pinkish buff, as in all wild-killed males. The tufts at the 

 back of elbows are long, luxuriant, and silky, mixed deep black and 

 buff — much longer and fuller than in any wild-killed animal. There 

 is a supplemental tuft of dark brown hair on each side of the lower 

 belly. The mane is longer, more sillcy, and more cinnamon buff in 

 color than in wild-killed lions. It extends far back on the withers 

 and laterally onto the foreparts of the shoulders in curly masses. 

 The tail is decidedly more ochraceous and black, instead of buff and 

 blackish as normal in the subspecies. 



The second male McMillan lion (No. 199707) died in the Zoo 

 July 1, 1915, at an age of about seven and one-half years, five and 

 one-half years of which had been spent in Washington. The skin of 

 this lion is decidedly darker than any other East African specimen. 

 The appearance of the animal has been greatly changed — from a pale 

 grayish buff to a dark brownish ochraceous. The general color of the 

 upper parts and sides of the body is dark tawny olive; of the belly^ 

 throat, and insides of limbs cinnamon to pale ochraceous tawny. Thft^ 



