54 THE CHAMPION OF STUPIDITY. 



"It looks to me," added Jack Harvey, "as if he'd found a baby that has lost its 

 mother." 



"That's just what he has got," said Mr. Godkin, who identified the prize before 

 any of the others. 



Pongo, instead of carrying his captive by the nape of the neck, as the boys had 

 done most of the distance with the young leopards, held it in his arms, where, pos- 

 sibly because of some skill he possessed, it did not struggle or give any trouble. 



" What think of him ? " he asked, stooping over and placing it on the ground. 



All were delighted, for the baby lion was a vigorous specimen that would have 

 pleased the heart of any showman. When put on its feet it looked like a bull pup 

 or chunky kitten, and was not without a certain incipient majesty, as it raised its 

 head and peeped inquiringly around in the faces of those that were surveying it 

 with so much interest. 



Pongo had an interesting story to tell. He had found the "lion's den " without 

 trouble, among a mass of rocks a short distance up the stream. There were two 

 young ones, or rather had been, for one was dead. 



I must tell you a singular fact regarding lions. From one to three are born at 

 a litter ; if three, two are males, and if two, there is one of each sex. Out of every 

 "four females born, one dies in infancy from teething, while the male has little if any 

 difficulty from that source. As a consequence, in countries where lions abound, the 

 -males greatly outnumber the females. 



The young one of that sex which Pongo saw had succumbed to the impossibility 

 of cutting her teeth, and had been flung out of her quarters by the mother, while 

 the brother was in prime condition, suffering only from hunger, as had been the 

 case with the leopard kittens the evening before. 



For several days after her young are born the mother never leaves them for an 

 instant. It is not long, however, before they are able to trot by her side, and then 

 she takes them out for a walk. Before their return she furnishes them a dainty 

 meal of some kind of tender flesh, which is carefully shredded so as not to hurt 

 their gums. 



It is said that the owners of domestic animals in South Africa know when the 

 young of lions are born by the havoc their mothers make among the youngest of 

 their flocks. 



This animal, known as the king of beasts, is nocturnal in his habits, keeping his 

 lair from sunrise to sunset, unless drawn out by thirst. He is indisposed to attack 

 when the moon is shining, so much so indeed that at such times the oxen are not 

 generally tied up. When there is no moon, however, look out ! 



Faint as was the orb on the night of the visit I have just described, the lion and 

 lioness would not attack until it had almost entirely disappeared. 



The strength of the lion is amazing. The blow which crushed the skull 

 of Divak was only an ordinary one. A male has been known to seize a 

 buffalo, after disemboweling it, and trot off with only a portion of if dragging on 

 the ground. 



