Jones on Cougars 



sharp, hooked claws deeper. Then as quickly as is 

 possible, the lion fastens his teeth in the throat of his 

 prey and grips till it is dead. In this way elk have 

 carried lions for many rods. The lion seldom tears 

 the skin of the neck, and never, as is generally sup 

 posed, sucks the blood of its victim; but he cuts into 

 the side, just behind the foreshoulder, and eats the 

 liver first. He rolls the skin back as neatly and 

 tightly as a person could do it. When he has gorged 

 himself, he drags the carcass into a ravine or dense 

 thicket, and rakes leaves, sticks or dirt over it to 

 hide it from other animals. Usually he returns to 

 his cache on the second night, and after that the 

 frequency of his visits depends on the supply of fresh 

 prey. In remote regions, unfrequented by man, the 

 lion will guard his cache from coyote and buzzards. 

 In sex there are about five female lions to one 

 male. This is caused by the jealous and vicious dis 

 position of the male. It is a fact that the old Toms 

 kill every young lion they can catch. Both male and 

 female of the litter suffer alike until after weaning 

 time, and then only the males. In this matter wise 

 animal logic is displayed by the Toms. The domes 

 tic cat, to some extent, possesses the same trait. If 

 the litter is destroyed, the mating time is sure to come 

 about regardless of the season. Thus this savage 

 trait of the lions prevents overproduction, and breeds 



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