1G8 ANECDOTES OF ANIMALS. 



M. Felix, one of the keepers of the animals of the 

 menagerie in Paris, became so ill that another person 

 was obliged to perform his duty. A male lion whom, 

 with a female, he himself had brought to the place, 

 remained constantly at one end of his cage, and refused 

 to eat anything given him by the stranger, at whom he 

 often roared. He even disliked the company of the 

 female, and paid no attention to her. The animal was 

 supposed to be ill, and yet no one dared to approach 

 him. At length M. Felix recovered, and intending to 

 surprise the lion, showed his face between the bars. 

 In a moment the beast made a bound, leaped against 

 the bars, caressed him with his paws, licked his face, 

 and trembled with pleasure. The female also ran to 

 him, but the lion drove her back, as if she were not to 

 snatch any of the favours from Felix, and he was about 

 to quarrel with her. The keeper then entered the cage 

 and caressed them by turns, and after that often went 

 to them, and had complete control over them. They 

 would obey all his commands, and all their recompense 

 was to lick his hands. 



A curious circumstance took place at New Orleans 

 in the year 1832, when a bear was let down into the 

 cage of an old African lion, supposing it would be torn 

 to pieces. Many people were assembled to see the 

 barbarous exhibition. The bear placed himself in a 

 fighting posture, and flew at the lion ; but, to the great 

 disappointment of all present, the lion placed his paw 

 upon the bear's head, as if to express his pity, and tried 

 to make friends with him. He took the bear under his 

 protection, suffered no one to approach close to the 

 cage, and did not sleep till he was exhausted, so closely 

 (lid he watch over his new friend. He suffered the 



