THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD 



By fermiuion of Herr Carl Hagtnbeck] [Hamburg 



A HAPPY FAMILY 



Here is a group of animals and their keeper from Herr Hagenbeck" s Thierpark. The animal in 

 front is a cross between a lion and a tigress ; he lives on quite friendly terms "with his keeper, and also 

 with lions, tigers, and leopards, as seen in the photograph 



of male lions carry heavy 

 manes, the long hair of 

 which does not as a rule 

 cover more than the neck 

 and chest, with a tag of 

 varying length and thick- 

 ness extending from the 

 back of the neck to be- 

 tween the shoulder-blades. 

 Lions with very full black 

 manes, covering the whole 

 shoulders, are rare any- 

 where, but more likely to 

 be encountered on the 

 high plateaux, where the 

 winter nights are ex- 

 tremely cold, than any- 

 where else. In such cases, 

 in addition to the tufts 

 of hair always found on 

 the elbows and in the 

 armpits of lions with fair- 

 sized manes, there will 



probably be large tufts 



of hair in each flank just where the thighs join the belly ; but I have never yet seen the 

 skin of a lion shot within the last thirty years with the whole belly covered with long, thick 

 hair, as may constantly be observed in lions kept in captivity in menageries. There is, 

 however, some evidence to show that, when lions existed on the high plains of the Cape 

 Colony and the Orange River Colony, where the winter nights are much colder than in the 

 countries farther north where lions may still be encountered, certain individuals of the species 

 developed a growth of long hair all over the belly, as well as an extraordinary luxuriance of mane 

 on the neck and shoulders. 



From the foregoing remarks it will 

 be seen that wild lions, having as a rule 

 much less luxuriant manes than many 

 examples of their kind to be seen in 

 European menageries, are ordinarily not so 

 majestic and dignified in appearance as 

 many of their caged relatives. On the 

 other hand, the wild lion is a much more 

 alert and active animal than a menagerie 

 specimen, and when in good condition is 

 far better built and more powerful-looking, 

 being free from all appearance of lankiness 

 and weakness in the legs, and having strong, 



well-formed hindquarters. The eyes of the 

 menagerie lion, too, look brown and usually 

 sleepy, whilst those of the wild animal are 

 yellow, and extraordinarily luminous even 



T permission of Herr Carl Ha^inbicl'] [Hamburg 



A CROSS BETWEEN LION AND TIGRESS 



This unique photograph shows a remarkable hybrid and its proud parents. 

 The father (on the right] is a lion, and the mother (on the left) a tigress. 

 The offspring (in the centre) is a fine, large male, now four years old; a 



after death. When WOUnded and Standing is bigger than an average-sized lion o" tiger 



