THE MOUNTAIN LION 195 



but presently he scented something alarming and 

 vanished into the thick pine woods. 



One evening I sat watching a number of deer 

 feeding on a terrace of a steep mountain side. 

 Suddenly a lion leaped out, landing on the neck 

 of one. Evidently the deer was off balance 

 and on a steep slope. The impact of the lion 

 knocked him over, but like a flash he was upon 

 his feet again. Top-heavy with the lion, he 

 slid several yards down a steep place and fell 

 over a precipice. The lion was carried with 

 him. I found both dead on the rocks below. 



The lion is a master of woodcraft. He 

 understands the varying sounds and silences 

 of the forest. He either hides and lies in wait 

 or slips unsuspected upon his victim. He slips 

 upon game even more stealthily than man; 

 and in choosing the spot to wait for a vic- 

 tim he usually chooses wisely and, alert waits, 

 if necessary, for a prolonged time. He leaps 

 upon the shoulders and neck of horse, deer, 

 or sheep, and then grabs the victim's throat in 

 his teeth. Generally the victim quickly suc- 

 cumbs. If a lion or lioness misses in leaping, 

 it commonly turns away to seek another victim. 

 Rarely does it pursue or put up a fight. 



A friend wished a small blue mule on me. 

 It had been the man's vacation pack animal. 

 The mule loitered round, feeding on the abun- 



