O THE LION. 



development of his physical powers ; and of the 

 mane also, being principally influenced by a like 

 contingency. That, for instance, which has been 

 designated the ' maneless lion of Guzerat,' is nothing 

 more than a young lion whose mane has not shot 

 forth ; and I give this opinion with the less hesita- 

 tion, having slain the ' king of beasts ' in every stage 

 from whelphood to imbecility." 



In Northern Africa, again, it would seem the 

 general opinion that there is more than one species 

 of lion. M. Gerard, the famous slayer of these 

 beasts, tells us, indeed, " that no less than three 

 species are found in Algeria, viz., the black lion 

 (el adrea), the fawn-coloured lion (el axfar), and 

 the grey lion (el zarzouri). He, moreover, goes into 

 many details relating to each, but his story is too long 

 for insertion in these pages. 



The lion also inhabits the hotter portions of Asia, 

 amongst the rest, as said, certain districts in Ilin- 

 dostan. In parts of Turkey, Persia, Syria, c., it 

 is far from uncommon. What may be the case in 

 the Holy Land at the present day, I know not; but 

 from the frequent allusions made to this animal in 

 the Bible, it would seem formerly to have abounded 

 there.* 



In parts, at least, of Asia, as in Africa, the idea 

 is likewise entertained that there is more than one 

 species of lion. Layard, for instance, in his cele- 

 brated work, " Nineveh and Babylon," after telling 



* Judges xiv. 5, f>; 1 Samuel xvii. -4; T.sahn civ. 21; 1 Kings 

 xiii. 24, 25, 28; 2 Kings xvii. 25, 20; Jeremiah xlix. It); Nahum ii. 

 11, 12, 13. 



