28 Lloyd's natural history. 



especially in the Lioness. Skull connected with the arch of 

 the hyoid bone (supporting the base of the tongue) by a pair 

 of long ligaments. In the Lion the superior extremities of 

 the nasal bones do not extend so far backwards as the frontal 

 processes of the maxillae, or upper jaw-bones ; whereas in the 

 Ti^er the former reach far behind the latter. In the Lion's 

 skull, again, the fronto-parietal suture is separated by a much 

 shorter interval from the post-orbital process ; so that the former, 

 as Mr. W. L. Sclater remarks, may be termed a short-waisted 

 skull, as compared with that of the Tiger. A further difference 

 between the two animals is to be found in the smaller develop- 

 ment of the inner tubercle of the upper carnassial tooth of the 

 Lion, as compared with that of the Tiger. The total length 

 reached by large full-grown males is about ten feet, of which 

 rather more than three feet is occupied by the tail. 



In the male Lion the mane commences to grow at about 

 three years of age, and does not attain its full dimensions till 

 the completion of the sixth year. The mane in specimens 

 kept in menageries attains a far greater development than it 

 ever reaches in the wild state ; the fringe of hair on the middle 

 of the lower surface of the body, so commonly found in mena- 

 gerie Lions, being peculiar to them. Unlike the majority of 

 the Family, Lion cubs are born with their eyes open. 



As regards coloration, the Lion may be regarded as a more 

 specialised animal than the Tiger, which it otherwise very 

 closely resembles ; while the mane of the male and the tail- 

 tuft of both sexes are likewise specialised features. There is 

 some considerable degree of variation in the colour of the 

 coat, as well as in the degree of blackness and length of the 

 mane. As a rule, specimens kept in menageries have a marked 

 reddish tinge in the coat ; whereas many wild specimens have 

 a very pale yellow or even a silvery-grey hue. In South Africa, 

 Messrs- Nicolls and Eglington remark that in some instances 



