THE LION AS VERMIN 



and the sharp, long and strong canines of that eminently 

 carnivorous race. Much legend and many mis-state- 

 ments have clustered round a little bit of hard and 

 horny skin at the end of the lion's tail. It has been 

 said to lash itself into a fury by means of this " nail." 

 The lion is now Asiatic and African in its habitat : 

 but within the historic period it inhabited Europe as 

 far west at any rate as Greece. Hercules and the 

 Nemean lion, of course, hardly prove this ; but there 

 are more historical accounts. Even now it seems to 

 occur so near to Europe as the eastern confines of Asia 

 Minor, which after all is, so far as its animals are con- 

 cerned, Asiatic by courtesy. The so-called maneless 

 lion of Gujerat seems to be a myth in one sense ; that 

 is to say, there are doubtless maneless lions in Asia, but 

 they are young ones. Painters and poets have largely 

 caused the respect in which the lion is held as the king 

 of beasts. In Africa a different view is officially held, 

 and it is legally " vermin." The roar of the lion is not 

 unimpressive in the lion house, where echoes add to 

 its apparent volume. The lion howls in concert like 

 any nocturnal cat. Opinions seem to differ as to the 

 majestic tones of this kingly caterwauling in a state of 

 nature. Livingstone thought but little of the lion's 

 roar, but Mr. Selous thinks that there is no more 

 magnificent sound in nature. The lion does not appear 

 to be so considerate to the jackal as fable would have 

 us believe. Those who know the lion and his ways 

 assert that he has an unkingly love of carrion, and that 

 the dead body of an elephant has more allurements 

 for him than the finest herd of zebras or antelope. 

 There are constantly lion cubs born at the Zoo, but it 

 is an odd thing that they generally suffer from cleft 

 palate, which does not, of course, conduce to their 

 longevity. The young lion seems to be born with its 

 eyes open, unlike the kitten. It is notorious that the 



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