32 AFRICAN ADVENTURE STORIES 



One is somewhat disappointed on hearing his 

 first lion in the African wilds. If he expects to 

 hear them roaring as they do in circuses or zo- 

 ological parks he will discover his mistake. In 

 the eleven months that we spent in Africa I do 

 not recall ever hearing a lion "roar." Lion- 

 hunters told me that they sometimes do, but 

 rarely. Time and time again we heard lions at 

 a distance, but they gave only deep, guttural 

 grunts, first long and slowly uttered, then 

 shorter and shorter and quicker and quicker, 

 until they died away entirely. In fact, the 

 grunts were the deep, short notes that always 

 follow the inspiring roar of caged lions. 



In British East Africa, the chief prey of lions 

 is the zebra, and most of them are killed at 

 night. The big cat creeps up to its horse-like 

 prey and with a sudden spring or a dash pounces 

 upon the victim's shoulder. Reaching over 

 with one fore paw, it seizes the creature's nose 

 and with a sudden wrench breaks the neck, or 

 causes the animal to tumble and the neck is 

 broken by the fall. Zebras are short-winded, 

 and they are so abundant that it is not difficult 

 for a lion to secure a meal whenever he wishes 

 one. 



