420 CAT TRIBE 



during the day. The latter method may be dismissed by the state- 

 ment that disappointments will be numerous, for over ordinary country 

 it is extremely difficult to follow such light-treading animals, and, if 

 put up many times, they become extremely wary. The best plan is 

 to stalk them at dawn, having marked the lie of the ground near the 

 bait, so as to be able to approach within range before daylight, and 

 with the wind from any direction. If it is their own ' kill,' a shot is 

 almost a certainty, but a placed bait may not, of course, have been 

 found. Under any circumstances, the chances are improved by 

 dragging the bait across several game-tracks on the previous evening, 

 and by placing it near water, which invariably tempts a lion to stop an 

 hour later than he would otherwise. If hyaenas are numerous, the bait 

 must be placed in a tree at least 8 feet from the ground ; and if the 

 sportsman arrives late at a bait, he should watch the vultures, and note 

 whether some are sitting in the trees and others flying over them, 

 evidently afraid to settle ; this being a sure sign that some kind of 

 wild beast is at the bait. 



" Watching at night is intensely exciting ; but it is very difficult 

 to make out an animal on the ground below you. The best plan for 

 night-watching is to place the bait in a shallow creek and make a 

 shelter of branches on the bank, 20 feet from the bait, below wind ; 

 the bait having been previously dragged in such a way that a lion 

 coming along the track will be seen, at any rate a few moments before 

 reaching the carcase. If dealing with their own ' kill ' the sportsman 

 should note the direction of the departing spoor, and build his scJierm 

 accordingly, remembering that lions are nearly sure to return along the 

 same track. Or a shooting-hole may be dug and covered with logs and 

 thorn-branches : this should be 5:^ feet long, 4 feet wide, and 3 feet to 

 4 feet deep, and a hole must be left through which to shoot. Moon- 

 light should be chosen for night-watching, otherwise it is difficult to 

 make out a lion even when only six or eight paces distant." 



The following notes on the lion in British East Africa are con- 

 densed from material supplied in 1899 ^Y ^^- ^- ^- Neumann : — 



" Lions have frequently invaded the island of Mombasa (probably 

 crossing at low spring-tides when the channel is fordable at one point), 

 and attacked the cattle kept for slaughter. Several have been killed 

 there at different times ; the last instance occurred when a lioness was 

 shot by a native with a bow and arrow, and its body was afterwards 

 dragged through the town. In the interior they are sometimes seen in 

 large troops in their favourite resorts. Mr. F. J. Jackson, for instance, 

 once came across twenty -three together near Machakos ; while I 



