OPINION OF NATURALISTS. 7 



us that, on the River Karoom, he had seen lions 

 with a long black mane, goes on to say, " The in- 

 habitants of the country make a distinction between 

 them and the common maneless lion ; the former 

 are * kqfir ' or infidels, the others Mussulmans, By 

 a proper remonstrance, and at the same time pro- 

 nouncing the profession of faith, a true believer may 

 induce the one to spare his life, but the unbelieving 

 lion is inexorable." 



Though the belief of there being two. or more 

 kinds of lion, not only in Southern and Northern 

 Africa, but in Asia, is, as shewn, pretty general, 

 yet great naturalists, on the contrary, assure us 

 there is only one species in the world, and that the 

 difference observable amongst these^' animals, in 

 regard to size, colour, &c., is solely attributable to the 

 effects of climate, soil, food, age, or other circum- 

 stances. " The lion," says Carpenter, the zoo- 

 logist, " is much more disposed to exhibit varieties 

 than most of the feline family, with the exception of 

 the domestic cat," and he quotes many unmistak- 

 able instances of animals originally of the same 

 race, changing their habits and character by 

 being removed to localities differing in physical 

 condition from those pertaining to the place of 

 their birth. 



But be there only one species of lion, or be there 

 several, the subject is at all events deserving the 

 attention of naturalists, and others who devote 

 themselves to the advancement of science. 



To resume : lions, though generally distributed 

 over the African continent, probably abound most 



