TIIE KING OF THE TROPICAL WILDS. 



23 



strength shows itself in the tremendous bound with which 

 he rushes upon his prey, in the rapid motions of his tail 



The Lion. 



one stroke of which is able to fell the strongest man to 

 the ground, and in the expressive wrinkling of his brow. 



2. " The lion is- distinguished from all other members 

 of the cat tribe by the uniform color of his tawny skin, by 

 the black tuft at the end of his tail, and particularly by 

 the long and sometimes blackish mane which he is able to 

 bristle when under the influence of passion, and which 

 contributes so much to the beauty of the male, while it is 

 wanting in the lioness, who, as every one knows, is very 

 inferior in size and comeliness to her stately mate. 



3. " His chief food consists of the flesh of the larger 

 herbivorous animals, very few of which he is unable to 

 master. Concealed in the high rushes on the river's bank, 

 he lies in ambush for the timorous herd of antelopes which 

 at nightfall approach the water to quench their thirst, 



