228 THE LION. 



balls in his carcase. The lioness respects him, and 

 consents to be wooed by him only when he has 

 destroyed the rest of her suitors." 



But is all this gospel ? I think not. To me it 

 seems that " a lion is a lion all the world over ;" 

 in other words, that his courage, and other 

 qualities, are about on a par in every country. 

 We have at least the testimony of Harris and 

 Delamaine who everyone must admit are compe- 

 tent judges of the matter that the Indian and 

 South African Lion are identical in every respect, 

 courage included ; why, therefore, should there be 

 so great a difference between the latter and that of 

 Northern Africa, as Gerard tells us is the case ? It 

 is certainly possible that, from the terrible ravages 

 (as will presently be shewn) those beasts commit 

 in Algeria amongst the cattle, where, in conse- 

 quence, every man's hand is against them, they 

 become more than commonly savage and ferocious, 

 and lose that fear and respect for the human form 

 divine usually entertained by carnivorous animals ; 

 but even admitting this to be the case, the difficulty 

 is not altogether cleared up. 



Amongst other instances adduced by Gerard, or 

 his critic, of the extraordinary bravery of the Al- 

 gerian lion, is the fact of Iris having been known 

 " calmly to brave forty muskets levelled at his noble 

 head." A great proof of courage, no doubt, but 

 surely it was equalled, if not surpassed, on the occa- 

 sion mentioned by Gordon Curnming, of a lion facing 

 not only forty, but two-hundred-and-fifty armed 

 men ; and had they not taken the alarm and hastily 



