ANIMALS. 159 



some lurking place, seldom attempting to invade 

 them openly j for the larger beasts are too power- 

 ful for them, and the smaller too swift. 



A lion does not willingly attack a horse, and 

 then only when compelled by the keenest hunger. 

 The combats between a lion and a horse are fre- 

 quent enough in Italy, where they are both en- 

 closed in a kind of amphitheatre fitted for that 

 purpose. The lion always approaches wheeling 

 about, while the horse presents his hinder parts 

 to the enemy. The lion in this manner goes 

 round and round, still narrowing his circle, till he 

 comes to the proper distance to make his spring : 

 just at the time the lion springs the horse lashes 

 with both legs from behind, and in general the 

 odds are in his favour ; it more often happening 

 that the lion is stunned and struck motionless by 

 the blow, than that he effects his jump between 

 the horse's shoulders. If the lion is stunned, and 

 left sprawling, the horse escapes without attempt- 

 ing to improve his victory ; but if the lion suc- 

 ceeds, he sticks to his prey, and tears the horse in 

 pieces in a very short time. 



But it is not among, the larger animals of the 

 forest alone that these hostilities are carried on ; 

 there is a minuter and a still more treacherous 

 contest between the lower ranks of quadrupeds. 

 The panther hunts for the sheep and the goat ; 

 the catamountain for the hare or the rabbit ; and 

 the wild cat for the squirrel or the mouse. In 

 proportion as each carnivorous animal wants 

 strength, it uses all the assistance of patience, 

 assiduity, and cunning. However, the arts of 



