CHAPTER II. 



THE LION. 



THE AFRICAN UON— THK CAPE HON — THE GAMBIA LION— THE UON OF NORTH AFRICA — THE 

 ASIATIC UON— THK MANKLKSS UON— TUF.IR SIZE ANl> STRKNGTH— THEIR ROAR— THEIR 

 lUBlTS— DIFFERENT OlMNIONS OF THEIR CHARACTKR— MODES OF DESTROYING— TAME LIONS 

 — DANGKROl'S PETS, 



X X TK may promise witli ri\c".ird to tlu- tlirce g:enera into wliioh 



\ \ the Kklio.v: arc divided that tiie third is distinguislied tVom 



» » the tii-st two by liavinti- iion-retraetile claws, and tlie second 



tioni the tii-st by tlie shortness of its tail, and the possession ot pencils of 



hail's which tuft its ears. 



I.— GENUS FELIS. 



The true cats are the most beautiful and terrible of animals, and at 

 their head stands that magniticent creature which has been styled from 

 time immemorial the " King of Beasts." 



THE LION. 



The LlOX fully justifies by his appearance the roval title which he 

 has received. He carries his head high and walks witli an air of 

 stately gravit}-, his visage is calm and dignified, and bespeaks a con- 

 fidence in his strength. Hut his most striking feature is the bushv mane 

 which, in most varieties, overshadows his Iiead and nock, ami gives to 

 his remarkable appearance an air of grandeur which commands awe. 

 From the mane alone the home of the lion can be discovered : in the 

 Persian lion it is long and consists of brown and black hair mixed, in 

 the lion of Guzerat it is thin and short : it is most dovolopod in the 

 proudest and most royal variety, the African lion. With the excep- 



