NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK—BAKER, 457 
Such animals as this caused a great deal of trouble during the 
building of the railroad from Mombasa to Nairobi, frequently carry- 
ing off the native workmen, and even tearing open railway cars to 
get at their occupants. 
A lion of quite a different type, slate colored and more slenderly 
built, was formerly owned by the park, being obtained from a woman 
in West Virginia who had reared it from birth by means of a feeding 
bottle. He was very tame and used to run about the house freely, 
but finally became too troublesome to be tolerated. Always very 
playful and tractable, he showed so much affection for his keeper that 
it inclined one to think that the old story of Androcles and the lion 
may not have been altogether fabulous. 
He showed an unusual aptitude for training, allowing his trainer 
to handle him freely, apparently enjoying the exercise as a sort of 
play. 
The lion once ranged over nearly the whole of the Eastern Conti- 
nent, but in recent times is to be found only in Africa (in many parts 
of which he is quite exterminated) and in southern Asia. 
The male is distinguished by a flowing mane and a brush of long 
hair at the end of the tail. His pose, with the head thrown up to 
keep his mane out of his eyes, is very commanding, and has gained 
for him the title of the “king of beasts,’’ but the female, slinking 
stealthily along with her head lowered, has a less noble aspect. 
There are no true lions in America, although the puma, or cougar, 
a wild animal that is found in parts of both North and South America, 
is often called the mountain lion. Conflicting stories are told of it. 
In the north it is said to be bloodthirsty and dangerous to man, while 
in the south it is disposed to be gentle and friendly. It lives upon 
flesh, killing wild animals and even birds in uninhabited regions, and, 
in times of scarcity, horses, cattle, and sheep are never safe in its 
vicinity. 
The park has a beautiful puma which is very tame and likes to be 
petted. Its color is a warm gray. Other specimens are found of a 
yellowish or of a dark brown color. 
The tiger is a native of Asia, abounding particularly in the jungles 
of India and the Malay Peninsula, but also extending northward into 
Korea, Manchuria, and the adjacent islands. Its appearance is not 
as noble and majestic as that of the lion, but its lithe and graceful 
movements and its sleek, shining coat, in color bright tawny striped 
with black above, and pure white below, gives it a kind of fearful 
beauty that the lion does not possess. Quite as large as the lion, the 
absence of mane makes the tiger appear smaller, and there is much 
controversy as to which animal is the stronger. There is no doubt 
as to its terrible power and bloodthirsty nature. During the torrid 
heat of the summer day it seeks the shade, coming out at night to 
