34 



LION. 



14. CAT TRIBE. 



Instead of openly pursuing their prey, like the dogs, 

 the animals of the present tribe are solitary, and spring 

 upon it by surprise. Several of the species are extremely 

 dangerous foes of mankind. 



Lion. At the same time that this is the noblest, he is 

 the most tremendous of all animals. Hence he has been 

 denominated the king of beasts. His form and appear- 

 ance are strikingly bold and majestic. His large head, 

 and shaggy, pendant mane ; his strength of limb, and 

 formidable countenance exhibit a picture of terrific 

 grandeur, which no words can describe. His voice, 

 when irritated, is a horrible roar. He usually preys on 

 horses and other large animals, and does not often attack 

 mankind. So prodigious is his strength, that a single 

 stroke of his paw is sufficient to break the back of a 

 horse ; and one sweep of his tail will throw the strongest 

 man to the ground. The seizing upon his prey is gene- 

 rally accompanied with a loud and tremendous roar. 

 When in quest of food, his roaring is even said to resem- 

 ble distant thunder. He does not, willingly, attack any 

 animal openly, unless provoked or extremely hungry. 

 In the latter case, he is said to fear no danger, 

 and to be repelled by no resistance. The method 

 in which he takes his prey, is, almost always, to 

 spring, or throw himself upon it, with one vast bound, 

 from the place of his concealment. The Romans 

 frequently exhibited these animals in their public 

 shows. We are told, that Scylla, during his praetorship, 

 exhibited a fight of a hundred Lions, all at the same 

 time : that Pompey afterwards exhibited six hundred, of 

 which three hundred and fifty were males ; and Caesar 



