FAMILY FELID^E ; LION. 209 



repressed rather than subdued ; and too much confidence, there- 

 fore, should not be placed in them. 



187. Some species of this family are found in every quarter 

 of the globe except Australia, where they are replaced by carni- 

 vorous Marsupials ; it is of tropical climates alone, however, that 

 the largest are inhabitants. The Lion is at present restricted to 

 the interior wilds of Africa, to some of the districts of Arabia 

 and Persia, to the country bordering the Euphrates, and to some 

 parts of India. It is more disposed to exhibit varieties, than 

 most other species of the family, except the Domestic Cat. Thus 

 the Barbary breed, the Senegal breed, the Cape breed, the Ben- 

 gal breed, and the Persian or Arabian breeds, all present slight 

 differences from each other, in the development of the mane, and 

 the colour of the fur ; and a nearly maneless breed has lately 

 been described as occurring in Guzerat ; yet they all most 

 probably belong to the same species. The Lion, too, is more 

 easily domesticated than the Tiger ; and shows a degree of gene- 

 rosity and nobleness of temper, which more approaches that of 

 the Dog. The common appellation, " king of the forest" is 

 misapplied to the Lion ; for he frequents, not forests, but burning 

 desert plains, and wide karroos covered only with shrubby vege- 

 tation, or interspersed with tracts of low brushwood. During 

 the day he usually slumbers in his retreat ; and as night sets in, 

 he rouses from his lair and begins his prowl. The nocturnal 

 tempests of rain and lightning, which in Southern Africa are 

 of common occurrence, seem to be peculiarly congenial to him, 

 and excite him to increased activity. His voice then mingles 

 with the roar of the thunder, and adds to the confusion and 

 terror of the beasts on which he preys, and upon which he now 

 advances with less caution and with a bolder step. In general, 

 however, he waits in ambush, or creeps insidiously towards his 

 victim ; and then springs on it with a tremendous bound, and 

 terrific roar. Various extraordinary stories are related, of the 

 degree in which the eye of Man, steadily fixed upon a Lion, can 

 keep him at bay ; yet this is no proof of want of courage ; on 

 the contrary, the Lion, when attacked, displays the utmost 

 daring resolution. His strength is such, as to enable him to carry 



