1FIK lion. 41 



and alighting gracefully. His next feat was to repeat the leaps 

 through the hoop and barrel with the paper set on fire ; this he 

 evidently disliked, but with some coaxing went through each. 

 The animals were now all fed, but the Lion had not yet com- 

 pleted his share in the night's entertainment, and was required 

 to show his forbearance by parting with his food. The keeper 

 entered the cage and took it repeatedly from him, no further 

 resistance than a short clutch and a growl was expressed. His 

 countenance had, however, lost its serenity, and how long his 

 good temper would have continued, is doubtful." 



The following account of Lions in Gujrat, in pre-Mutiny 

 days, is given by General W. Rice, in his book entitled " In- 

 dian Game." The General writes that on one occasion " when 

 passing a village near which we had hunted the previous year, 

 the people begged me earnestly to wait while their young men 

 ran off to mark down any sleeping Lions. It seems that after 

 killing several cattle belonging to the place, an old Lion would 

 every evening come out of the forest and lie down, stretched 

 out on a large piece of flat stone or sheet-rock close to the vil- 

 lage ; presently he would look round, when a Lioness used to 

 follow and lie down by his side ; she again was followed by 

 another young half-grown Lion, and there the three would 

 wait. At last one of the men, with the rest of the populace 

 behind him, took a steady kneeling shot with a matchlock 

 at the old Lion, but somehow missed or merely grazed him, 

 for the Lion thereupon bounded forward, and after nearly 

 pulling the marksman's head off, retreated to the woods with 

 his mate and cub. 



" Formerly Lions were far more plentiful in this part of the 

 country, and used to live more in the open plains. A cavalry 

 officer a good many years ago told me he had shot eighty Lions 

 in this province in three years, using well-trained horses for the 

 purpose, and following them over the open country. 



