EXTRAORDINARY SPEED. 203 



spaniels of the present date, and, doubtless, from this 

 arose the habit of removing two or three terminal 

 joints of the tail of these breeds. In Southern 

 France and Spain this custom still prevails in regard 

 to pointers; but their dogs are constantly used in 

 thick cover, while the animals themselves have an 

 excess of stern action, now much modified in our 

 modern beauties. 



That this callosity should fall off soon after the 

 death of its late proprietor I can quite believe, for I 

 noticed during native wars in South Africa that, after 

 a victim had lain dead several hours, the callow skin 

 on the soles of the slain commenced to detach itself. 

 Many of our officers who served in Zululand can 

 attest the truth of this statement. 



As to lions stimulating themselves into anger by 

 lashing their flanks well, it is as true as the baby- 

 roussa yarn told Goldsmith. When a lion charges it 

 carries its tail almost horizontally with the ground, 

 and stiff as a mop-handle. Just previous to, or when 

 contemplating charging, the tail is considerably ele- 

 vated over the horizontal line, and entirely destitute 

 of any movement. However, if the observer be 

 sufficiently close, a twitching motion may be noted 

 in the half-recumbent ears of the intending aggressive 

 beast. 



Mr. H. P. Malet's experiences much agree with 

 mine as to the endurance of the cheeta and black 

 buck, and therefore I think that Sir Samuel Baker 

 must have left out qualifying explanations in the 

 paragraph quoted by him, from that experienced 

 sportsman's new work. 



A cheeta for 200 yards, more or less, is, I believe, 

 justly considered the fastest quadruped extant, but 

 after that distance has been traversed, it knows 

 its own inability to continue the chase successfully, 

 for, having failed in its protracted effort to secure its 

 prey, it will slink off in obvious consciousness that 



