THE LION 243 



under the smoke, but fortunately missed him, and he killed it 

 with his second barrel. 



The above instances of lions proving at all aggressive are, 

 I think, quite exceptional, and at all events form a very small 

 percentage, considering the great number of lions in the country, 

 the fair number that have been killed, and the still greater 

 number that have been wounded and got away, and I am 

 inclined to think that both the boldness and pluck of East 

 African lions compare very poorly with those of South Africa 

 and the Somali country. Even when wounded, I have found 

 them anything but plucky or savage beasts. Three out of the 

 four lions I have myself bagged, and three others which got away 

 wounded, never attempted to charge, although they were 

 all followed up into bush where it was impossible to see them 

 until fairly close, and in each instance they could see me 

 some time before I could see them, but they merely lay and 

 snarled, or slunk away altogether. 



Lions in East Africa, when found near the coast, which is 

 mostly thick bush country, are for the most part maneless, or 

 nearly so. I have heard it suggested that the thick bush has 

 something to do with this, as the long hairs of the mane get 

 pulled out and worn away, and it is quite possible that this 

 may be so, for the buffaloes on the coast are also very scantily 

 covered with hair, and are of a dull slate colour from the skin 

 showing through. In the Masai country lions have very often 

 splendid manes, and the buffaloes, even the old bulls, are 

 well covered with hair. This, however, may be accounted for 

 more reasonably by the great difference in the temperature 

 than by the more open nature of the country, the air of 

 the higher altitudes being bracing and cool, not to say cold, 

 whilst that on the coast is moist and muggy. I, ions with both 

 dark and light coloured manes are found in East Africa, those 

 found north of Machako's being darker as a rule than those 

 further south. 



Buffaloes and zebras are the two species of game on which 

 lions mostly prey. In my own experience I have come across 



R 2 



