CAT KIND. 405 



but of an equal thickness from one end to the 

 other. The neck is very strong, but not compos- 

 ed of one solid bone, as Aristotle has imagined ; 

 on the contrary, though very short and muscular, 

 it has as many bones as the camel or the horse : 

 for it is universal to all quadrupeds to have seven 

 joints in the neck, and not one of them have either 

 more or less. However, the muscles in the neck 

 of the lion, that tie the bones together, are ex- 

 tremely strong, and have somewhat the appear- 

 ance of bones ; so that ancient authors who have 

 treated of this animal, have mistaken the whole 

 for a single bone. The tongue is rough, and be- 

 set with prickles as hard as a cat's claws ; these 

 have the grain turned backwards j so that it is 

 probable a lion, if it should attempt to lick a man's 

 hand, as we are told it sometimes does, would tear 

 off the skin. The eyes are always bright and fiery, 

 nor even in death does this terrible look forsake 

 them. In short, the structure of the paws, teeth, 

 eyes, and tongue, are the same as in a cat ; and 

 also in the inward parts these two animals so near- 

 ly resemble each other, that the anatomist's chief 

 distinction arises merely from the size." 



The lion has, as was observed before, a large 

 mane, which grows every year longer as the ani- 

 mal grows older ; the lioness is without this orna- 

 ment at every age. This mane is not coarse or 

 rough as in a horse, but composed of the same 

 hair with the rest of the body, lengthened and 

 shining. The mane, as well as the rest of the 

 body, is of a yellow colour ; nor is there ever any 

 difference to be found in the colour of one lion 



