NATURAI IS 



Form, colour, &c. JVh- 



phant or rhinoceros; noi 

 that of the bison, or hippop 

 respect he is compact and weL 

 unites the most surprising stren^ 

 most agility. 



The length of the lion varies from 

 feet, and the height from three feet anv 

 five feet, exclusive of the tail, which is 

 four feet long. The head is covered with 

 shaggy hair, and the neck is adorned with a p 

 dent mane; but the hair on the rest of the bodj 

 is short and smooth. The general colour is a 

 pale tawny, inclining to white beneath. 



The lioness is about one fourth smaller than 

 the lion, and is destitute of that mane which 

 constitutes so essentially to the majesty of her 

 consort's appearance. The time of parturition 

 is in the spring, when she retires to the most se- 

 questered places, and produces four or five young, 

 which at first, are about the size of a small pug 

 dog, and continue at the teat nearly twelve 

 months; though, during that time, they are 

 taught to suck the blood and lacerate the flesh 

 of such prey as the dam occasionally carries to 

 her den. 



The lioness is a perfect model of maternal af- 

 fection ; for though naturally weaker and less 

 courageous than the male, yet, when she has 

 young, she becomes equally formidable, and even 

 more ferocious. She is extremely solicitous to 

 conceal her place of retirement, for which pur- 



