The Lion 105 



perate attacks." Still, and as if to show what it is possible 

 for men to commit themselves to when writing about wild 

 beasts, we have Burchell's opinion ("Travels in the Inte- 

 rior of Southern Africa"). 



This author, according to his own account, spent four 

 years in a lion country, and saw but one during the whole 

 of this time. That one was accidentally encountered on a 

 journey, and they succeeded in shooting it through the 

 body, upon which it drew off into the bushes and disap- 

 peared. Yet it is on the strength of an experience like 

 this that Burchell says he has "no very high opinion 

 of the lion's courage." Of course the reference has an 

 appearance of being overstated, but whoever reads the 

 bulky quartos in which these travels are written will find 

 that such is not the case. 



So much in the way of a review of Buffon's general 

 description. 



It is easier, however, and safer to decide as to what 

 lions are not, than to say what they are. Almost every- 

 thing written upon this subject deals nearly to exclusion 

 with the animal's habits, and leaves its character un- 

 touched. Even in this respect also our information is 

 not complete. 



C. J. Andersson ("The Lion and the Elephant") 

 remarks that "the modes of life" belonging to "the 

 Lord of the African Wilds " are not at all thoroughly 

 known, and he expresses an opinion fully justified by 

 facts to the effect that he has himself been able to brine: 

 together much information in this connection that "may 

 not have been noticed by other travellers and sportsmen." 



