HABITS OF THE LION. 317 



stags at the rutting season, they roar loudest in cold, frosty nights; 

 but on no occasions are their voices to oe heard in such perfection, 

 o? so intensely powerful, as when two or three strange troops of 

 lions approach a fountain to drink at the same time. When this 

 occurs, every member of each troop sounds a bold roar of defiance 

 at the opposite parties ; and when one roars, all roar together, and 

 each seems to vie with his comrades in the intensity and power 

 of his voice. The power and -grandeur of these nocturnal forest 

 concerts is inconceivably striking and pleasing to the hunter's ear. 

 The effect, I may remark, is greatly enhanced when the hearer 

 happens to be situated in the depths of the forest, at the dead hour 

 of midnight, unaccompanied by any attendant, and ensconced 

 within twenty yards of the fountain which the surrounding troops 

 of lions are approaching. Such has been my situation many 

 scores of times; and though I am allowed to have a tolerably 

 good taste for music, I consider the catches with which I was 

 then regaled as the sweetest and most natural I ever heard. 



As a general rule, lions roar during the night ; their sighing 

 moans commencing as the shades of evening envelop the forest, 

 and continuing at intervals throughout the night. In distant and 

 secluded regions, however, I have constantly heard them roaring 

 loudly as late as nine and ten o'clock on a bright sunny morning. 

 In hazy and rainy weather they are to be heard at every hour in 

 the day, but their roar is subdued. It often happens that when 

 two strange male lions meet at a fountain a terrific combat ensues, 

 which not unfrequently ends in the death of one of them. The 

 habits of the lion are strictly nocturnal ; during the day he lies 

 concealed beneath the shade of some low bushy tree or wide- 

 spreading bush, either in the level forest or on the mountain side. 

 He is also partial to lofty reeds, or fields of long, rank yellow 

 grass, such as occur in low-lying vleys. From these haunts he 

 sallies forth when the sun goes down, and commences his nightly 

 prowl. When he is successful in his beat and has secured his 

 prey, he does not roar much that night, only uttering occasionally 

 G. few low moans ; that is, provided no intruders approach him 

 otherwise the cai;e would be very different. 



