50 



THE LION. 



FELID^, OR THE CAT TRIBE. 



The beautiful animals which are knowu by the general name of the 

 Cat tribe now engage our attention. 



With the exception of one or two of the enigmatical creatures which 

 are found in every group of beings, whether animal, vegetable, or min- 

 eral, the Cats — or Felid^, as they are more learnedly termed — are as 

 distinct an order as the monkeys or the bats. Pre-eminently carnivor- 

 ous in their diet, and destructive in their mode of obtaining food, their 

 bodily form is most exquisitely adapted to carry out the instincts which 

 are implanted in their nature. 



All the members of the Cat tribe are light, stealthy, and silent of 

 foot, quick of ear and eye, and swift of attack. Most of them are 

 possessed of the power of climbing trees or rocks, but some few species, 

 such as the Lion, are devoid of this capability. 



Of the magnificent and noble creatures called Lions, several species 

 are reported to exist, although it is thought by many experienced 



Male and Female Lion in the Zoological Garden, Philadelphia. 



judges that there is really but one species of Lion, which is modi- 

 fied into permanent varieties according to the country in which it 

 lives. 



