72 



THE REASON WHY ; 



Wythin a large wyldernesse, 

 Where was lyon and lyonesse, 

 The leparde, and the tygre also.&quot; GOWER. 



213. Why may we conclude that the sense of hearing in 

 panthers, tigers, &c,, is very acute ? 



Because many of them prey only in the woods, and all of them 

 lurk in brakes and thickets, and, therefore, quick hearing is 



essential both to their dis 

 covering their prey and to 

 prevent their prey from dis 

 covering them. It is also 

 a confirmed law in the 

 economy of animals that 

 those which w? n k softly in 

 proportion to their weight 

 are always quick of hearing. 

 This extends even to human 

 beings, among whom it is 

 found that those who walk 

 lightly have quicks ears, while a dull ear and a heavy step are 

 always associated.* 



214. Why is tlie tongue oj the tiger, lion, and some other 

 animals so rough upon its upper surface ? - 



Because this condition of the tongue enables the animal to 

 scrape off the minute particles of flesh adherent to the bones. 

 The moderate degree in which this peculiar conformation in the 

 tongue exists in the tongue of the common cat is familiar to every 

 one ; in the lion and tiger, however, the roughness is so great that 

 one stroke of the tongue is sufficient to tear the skin from off 

 a man s hand. 



215. WTiy do beasts of prey generally roar before they spring 

 upon their victim ? 



Because they desire to terrify their prey, and thereby to 

 overcome them more easily. Some animals, however, such as 



* Partingtou s * Cyclopaedia.&quot; 



