750 THE STANDARD DICTIONARY OF FACTS 



to catch fish; but occasionally it kills horses | ing. The produce of the lemon groves of the 

 and cattle, and even" men. The jaguar is a i Mediterranean is chiefly imported to the north, 

 noisy animal, roaring much at night, especially Lilac. A genus of plants belonging ID tin- 

 on the approach of bad weather. natural order Oleacece (which includes the ash, 

 Kangaroo. A family of pouch-bearing jessamine, olive, etc.). The lilacs are natives 

 animals. They are the most highly developed of the east; they are shrubs or small trees; 

 members of the order, and are peculiarly suited and the flowers are characterized by a four- 

 for the conditions of life in Australia, over all cleft corolla, by two stamens, and by a two- 

 parts of which they range, supplying the place valved fruit. Several species are cultivated for 

 of deer and cattle. The family comprises no ornamental purposes, the common lilac being 

 fewer than fifty-six species, and of these the one of the most extensively cultivated shrubs 

 Great Kangaroo may be taken as a type. This in Europe. Lilac bark is used as a febrifuge 

 species was formerly plentiful, and roamed over in some parts of France. 



all the plains, but it is now fast retiring before Lily. A popular name applied to plants of 

 the colonist. The fore-limbs are small; the several genera belonging to the order Liliacece, 

 hind-limbs very large and thick; the head but especially to the individuals constituting 

 small, with rather long ears, and a long, dusky- the genus Lilium. They are herbaceous, witfi 

 brown muzzle; the body long, with the fur scaly bulbous roots and conspicuous flowers, on 

 shortish but thick, and of a grey-brown tint, account of which they are great favorites with 

 In height it is as tall or taller than a man. The the horticulturist, and are extensively culti- 

 female carries her young in a pouch on the vated. The tiger lily, with its showy yellow 

 underside of the belly. When moving quickly flowers, is a native of warm climates, and is 

 the hind-limbs alone are brought into action, peculiar in producing bulbs in the axils of the 

 and by means of these the animal bounds along , leaves and capable of independent growth. 

 in great leaps of from ten to fifteen feet, the The white lily and the orange lily are also 

 body being carried in a nearly horizontal posi- familiar under cultivation. The bulbs are rich 

 tion, and the tail extended to balance it. The in starch, and in some districts those of certain 

 fore-limbs are chiefly used in handling, and species are used as food. 



with these the females lift their young, and I Lion. The largest and most majestic of 

 place them in the pouch. The kangaroos are carnivorous quadrupeds. It is, when mature, 

 vegetable feeders, delighting in grasses, leaves, ; of a nearly uniform tawny or yellowish color, 

 and herbs. j paler on the under parts, the young alone ex- 



Lark. The common name of birds com- ! hibiting markings like those common in the 

 prising the genus Alauda and Sturnella. The Felidce ; the male has, usually, a great shaggy 

 feky-lark, or Laverock, of Europe, the most and flowing mane, and the tail, which is pretty 

 harmonious of this musical tribe, commences long, terminates in a tuft of hair. The whole 

 its song early in the spring, continues it during frame is extremely muscular, and the foreparts, 

 the whole summer, and is one of those few birds in particular, are remarkably powerful, giving, 

 that chant while on the wing. When it first with the large head, bright, flashing eye, and 

 rises from the earth, its notes are feeble and copious mane, a noble appearance to the animal, 

 interrupted; as it ascends, however, they grad- which, with its strength, has led to its being 

 ually swell to their full tone, and long after called the "king of beasts." A lion" of the 

 it is lost to the sight it still continues to charm largest size measures about eight feet from the 

 the ear with its melody. It mounts almost nose to the tail, and the tail about four feet. 

 perpendicularly, but descends in an oblique The lioness is smaller, has no mane, and is of a 

 direction, unless threatened with danger, when lighter color on the under parts. The strength 

 it drops like a stone. The Meadow-lark of of the lion is such that he can carry off a heifer 

 North America, about ten inches long, some- as a cat carries a rat. The lion is chiefly an 

 what resembles the Sky-lark in its habits, but inhabitant of Africa, although it is found also 

 its song is not so sweet and harmonious. in some of the wilds of Asia, particularly in 



Leopard. The Felis Leopardus differs certain parts of Arabia, Persia, and India. It 

 from the panther only by having small spots j was anciently much more common in Asia, 

 thickly set, while the panther's spots are large and was found in some parts of Europe, par- 

 and open. The species is a native both of ticularly in Macedonia and Thrace, according 

 Africa and Asia. The body of this fierce and I to Herodotus and other authors. The lion is 

 rapacious animal is about four feet long. From j not, in general, an inhabitant of deep forests, 

 the great flexibility of the limbs and spine, it but rather of open plains in which the shelter 



A 1 * 1 1 J.T '1111 Al_ 1 J. 1 J 



can take surprising leaps, swim, crawl, and 

 ascend trees. 



Lemon. A plant of the genus Citrus, be- 

 longing to the order Aurantiacece, which also 

 includes the orange, lime, citron, etc. The 

 lemon is a native of Northern India, and is 

 extensively cultivated for its fruit, the pulp of 

 which abounds in citric acid, and is much used 

 in the manufacture of cooling and effervescing 

 drinks. The peel, or rind, is covered with 

 glands containing oil, which is used as an 

 aromatic: when dried and preserved, it forms 

 an article of commerce, and is used for flavor- 



of occasional bushes and thickets may be found. 

 The lion is easily tamed, at least when taken 

 young and when abundantly supplied with food. 

 Lions were made to contribute to the barbarous 

 sports of the ancient Romans; a combat of 

 lions was an attractive spectacle, and vast 

 numbers were imported into Rome, chiefly 

 from Africa, for the supply of the amphitheater. 

 Pompey exhibited 600 at once. The mane of 

 the lion and the tuft at the end of the tail are 

 not fully developed till he is six or seven years 

 old. The tail terminates in a small prickle, 

 the existence of which was known to the 



