76 THE LION OF SOUTH AFRICA. 



master, as he usually does, he leaves his victim and 

 retires for a quarter of an hour or so to take breath ; 

 during this time the other lions approach and lie down 

 at a respectful distance. When the chief has finished 

 his repose, he begins an attack on the brisket and the 

 abdomen; and after helping himself to the most succu- 

 lent morsels, he takes another rest, none of his com- 

 panions in the meantime dreaming of moving. Then, 

 when he has finished his second repast and retired, the 

 others, having watched all his movements, pounce upon 

 the remains, which are soon devoured. 



" On other occasions, when a young lion has seized 

 his prey and an old one passes by, the young one 

 stands aside until his senior has dined." 



Observations made by Mr. Moffat, in continuation 

 of his account of the night attack already mentioned, 

 agree entirely with the foregoing recital. 



The same native saw one day a lion creeping 

 towards the stump of a tree of a blackish colour, and 

 not unlike a human form. When the animal had 

 approached within about twenty-five yards, he sprang 

 forward, and missed his mark by a foot or two, which 

 appeared to mortify him very much. After smelling 

 the object and discovering his mistake, he returned, 

 all ashamed, to his starting-point, made another leap 

 with no more success, began again, and at last, at the 

 fourth attempt, he succeeded in planting his paw on 



