FJSLIS. MAMMALIA. 101 



in general to deprive its victim of life. The muscular strength of the lion is such, 

 that he is capable of carrying off a horse or a buffalo ; and by the power of his 

 limbs alone he is said to be able to break the spine of a horse. 



In confinement the lion shows unequivocal marks of gratitude and affection to 

 the person who serves him with food. The instance mentioned by Seneca, and of 

 which he waf personally a witness, of a lion recognizing its former keeper in the 

 Amphitheatre at Rome, where he was exposed for destruction, and protecting him, 

 is well known ; and instances are not wanting of their attachment to other animals. 

 To the well-known case of a lion in the Tower of London, which refused all suste- 

 nance and died, on the occasion of the death of a little dog which had long shared 

 his den, many others might be added ; and Mr Griffith states on the authority of 

 Major Smith, that that gentleman " had met with eleven instances of different lions 

 which have protected and fostered dogs, and but a single one of the tiger exhibiting 

 a similar kindness of disposition." The exhibition of a young lion and a lamb 

 in one inclosure of a travelling menagerie, may be mentioned as a proof how far 

 early education can overcome the carnivorous propensity in an animal not cruel be- 

 yond the imperious necessity of supplying itself with food. 



The lion is.now found chiefly in Africa ; in Asia,' excepting some districts between 

 India and Persia, and some parts of Arabia, they are rare. The Asiatic variety is 

 of a uniform yellow colour, and the mane, more scanty than in the African species, is 

 also yellow. The progress of population, and the destruction of game, has diminished 

 the number of species, or extirpated them entirely in countries where they formerly 

 abounded, and few are now seen in Europe in comparison to the numbers which 

 were exhibited in the Roman Circus. Scylla caused one hundred, all males, to be 

 turned out for the amusement of the Roman people ; Pompey six hundred, of which 

 one hundred and fifteen were males; and Caesar four hundred. The numbers seem 

 not to have been much reduced under the first Emperors. Adrian often exhibited 

 one hundred in the Circus ; Antonine on one occasion one hundred, and Marcus 

 Aurelius a like number ; Gordian the third had seventy which were trained ; and 

 Probus had one hundred of both sexes. 



The period of gestation in the lioness is about one hundred and eight days. They 

 are brought forth with the eyes open ; but the ear does not become completely erect 

 for two months. They arrive at maturity in five years, and are then nearly eight 

 feet long. When young, the lion has no trace of the mane or of the tuft at the end 

 of the tail. A male lion and tigress confined in one compartment, in the menagerie 

 of Mr Atkins, has twice produced cubs, of which excellent figures are given in 

 Griffith's Animal Kingdom, ii. 447- 



F. concolor, Lin. The Puma or American Lion. Fur fawn-colour- 

 ed; without mane or tuft at the end of the tail. About 3| feet 

 long. Inhabits the warm and temperate parts of America. 

 " Wilsons Illustrations of Zoology, No. i. pi. 1. 



2. Large, with transverse bands of a darker colour. 



F. tigris, Lin. The Tiger. Fur clear fawn-colour above, white be- 

 low, striped on the body with irregular narrow black bands; hairs 

 about the cheeks very long. Body about five feet long. Inhabits 



Bengal, &c Griff, i. 440. 



Var. A. white, with the stripes of a more opaque white. Griff. An. King. ii. 444. 

 This animal is the scourge of Asia and the Indian islands. Ferocious in a very 

 high degree, its speed and strength is such as to enable it to seize a man on horse- 

 back, and drag or rather carry him in its mouth by bounds or leaps to the nearest 

 jungle or forest. The tiger, unlike the lion, does not confine itself to killing single 

 prey, but attacks, with a cruel avidity for blood, all within its reach. In confine- 

 ment, however, when taken young, it grows familiar, and exhibits affection and 

 gentleness to its keeper. 



3. Large, fawn-coloured, with brown or black round spots. 

 F. onca, Desm. Gmel. The Jaguar. Fur fawn-coloured above, whit- 

 ish beneath : body marked with open circles of black, containing 



