Appendix 309 



During the day the lion takes refuge in the 'long grass 

 and in the scrub ; rarely does it go into the woods. It 

 utilises caves in mountainous districts as lairs. In 

 the grass it hears the approach of a man at a very long 

 distance, and gets out of his way, as the leopard does, with- 

 out him knowing it. This is the explanation why yon 

 rarely see felines by daylight. 



I have seldom seen lionesses with more than two or 

 three cubs. I believe their period of gestation is three 

 months and a half, and that they suckle for six months. 

 Up to the age of three months the cubs are covered with 

 curly hair, marked longitudinally, like tigers, with brown 

 stripes. I have seen the skin of a young lioness which was 

 killed in the Somali country by one of my friends upon 

 which these were still very distinct, but that was an excep- 

 tional case. 



Do lions go about in pairs or in families ? It is difficult 

 to fix a rule. I have seen four, five, and as many as eleven 

 lions in a troop ; but the average is four. 



Imposing and magnificent in its bearing, possessed of a 

 physiognomy expressive of pride, the lion is one of the 

 noblest animals which inhabit the African bush, and one of 

 the most redoubtable adversaries with which man can meet. 



