4-08 ANIMALS OF THE 



and particularly those which he has just killed. 

 He seldom devours the bodies of animals when 

 they begin to putrefy ; and he chooses rather to 

 hunt for a fresh spoil, than to return to that 

 which he had half devoured before. However, 

 though he usually feeds upon fresh provision, his 

 breath is very offensive, and his urine insupport- 

 able. 



The roaring of the lion is so loud, iJiat when it 

 is heard in the night, and re-echoed by the moun- 

 tains, it resembles distant thunder. This roar is 

 his natural note ; for when enraged he has a dif- 

 ferent growl, which is short, broken, and reiter- 

 ated. The roar is a deep hollow growl, which 

 he sends forth five 1 or six times a-day, particularly 

 before rains. The cry of anger is much louder, 

 and more formidable. This is always excited by 

 opposition ; and upon these occasions, when the 

 lion summons up all his terrors for the combat, 

 nothing can be more terrible. He then lashes his 

 sides with his long tail, which alone is strong 

 enough to lay a man level. He moves his mane 

 in every direction ; it seems to rise and stand like 

 bristles round his head ; the skin and muscles of 

 his face are all in agitation ; his huge eye-brows 

 half cover his glaring eye-balls ; he discovers his 

 teeth, which are formed rather for destruction 

 than chewing his food ; he shows his tongue co- 

 vered with points, and extends his claws, which 

 appear almost as long as a man's fingers. Pre- 

 pared in this manner for war, there are few ani- 

 mals that will venture to engage him, and even 

 the boldest of the human kind are daunted at his 



