xxvi ANIMALS WHICH PROVIDE SPORT 253 



foolhardiness ; partly because each gun is apt to 

 place reliance on the other guns instead of mainly on 

 himself. 



As to the best weapon for this purpose, each man has 

 his own fancy. There used to be many who averred 

 that a '256 Mannlicher was as good as a large bore, 

 but the growing list of fatalities has convinced all but 

 the most obstinate that a heavier weapon, and a double- 

 barrelled one at that, is essential for a modicum of 

 safety. There are good sportsmen who declare that a 

 shot gun is the acme of safety for a charging lion. 

 Maybe it is, if the shot be held till the beast is within 

 three or four yards. The sportsman therefore, would 

 be well advised to be assured that his nerves are in 

 first-rate order before trusting implicitly to such a 

 weapon. 



A full-maned lion is a splendid trophy, whether he 

 be black or tawny. The manes on some lions turn 

 black at an earlier age than those of others ; but prob- 

 ably the mane of every lion turns black eventually if 

 time be given it. The higher and colder the altitude 

 the thicker and finer the general average of manes ; 

 though by far the finest lion ever seen by the writer 

 was down by Lake Natron where the heat is intense. 

 Lions inhabiting bush and forest country have practic- 

 ally no manes. Some say that they are of a different 

 variety. Others that the manes are pulled out through 

 contact with the thorns. As to size, there seems little 

 variation. Ten feet from nose to the tip of the tail for 

 a lion and 9 feet for a lioness would be quite excep- 

 tional measurements. It is doubtful whether 10 feet 6 

 inches has ever been reached. Stretching the skin will 

 do wonders, and at least an extra two to three feet can 

 be attained. Those of us who like large skins — and 



