THE FLESH EATERS 



l6l 



Fig. 143. — Claws of a Lion. 



are adapted to tear and rend its prey, and are of enormous 

 dimensions, recalling the teeth of the saber-toothed tiger 

 of Quaternary 

 times. If the 

 teeth did not tell 

 the story of the 

 habits of the car- 

 nivores, the claws 

 (Fig. 143) surely 

 would do so. The 

 lion is one of the 

 highest of the 

 group, a noble, 

 fear- inspiring, 

 and beautiful cat, 

 fierce of countenance and almost human in its dignity. 

 The lion is a typical cat. It steals upon its prey and is 

 actuated by motives not the most admirable. When faced 

 in the open a lion or even a tiger will often sneak away, 

 but on a dark night it will crawl upon animals or men, and 

 suddenly spring upon them exactly as a cat leaps upon a 

 helpless mouse. In a word, the alleged noblest of animals 

 is a sly, treacherous pot hunter that would lie in wait a 

 day to take an enemy at a decided advantage, and is rarely 

 known to make a brave, open fight. 



There are two lions : one from Africa, with a full mane; 

 and one from Asia, with little if any. Few other animals 

 are so powerful and strong for their size. One has but to 

 study the skeleton of a lion to understand how it can 

 carry off an animal as large as a cow. One of the most 

 interesting families it has been my fortune to see was 



HOLDKK, MAMMALS — II 



