20 COMMON BlUTISH ANIMALS 



is found as far north as Siberia, and the ounce or 

 snow-leopard inhabits the cold tableland of Tibet. 



In Europe the cat family is represented only by 

 the wild cat and the lynx. The latter is found in 

 Scandinavia, Russia, and Siberia. The lynx is a 

 longer animal than the cat, and is distinguished by 

 the long pencils of black hairs at the tips of the 

 ears. It is also found in Asia and Canada. In the 

 Zoological Grardens of London there are always 

 several members of the cat family to be seen, as the 

 lion, whose home is in Asia or Africa, the tiger 

 from Asia, the leopard from Africa, and the Asiatic 

 species known as the panther, also the jaguar, the 

 big' cat of the New World, which comes from South 

 America. 



Lion. 



From early childhood nursery picture books and 

 toys familiarise the forms of the lion and tiger. 

 The lion, as our national emblem, the ^' British lion/^ 

 is almost as well known as the cat. Every child 

 knows that he has a sandy-coloured body and a long- 

 tail with a black tuft at the end of it, and a great 

 wide head with a long flowing mane. The lioness 

 has no mane, and the cubs, which may sometimes be 

 seen at the Zoological Gardens, are spotted. Although 

 he is fierce, the lion has a fine, bold, fearless 

 expression, but hunters tell us that the so-called 

 king of beasts will, at times, skulk and behave like 

 a coward. There is nothing mean or low about the 

 expression of the lion, as we usually see him in 



