THE LION 243 
under the smoke, but fortunately missed him, and he killed it 
with his second barrel. 
The above instances of lions proving at all aggressive are, 
I think, quite exceptional, and at all events form a very small 
percentage, considering the great number of lions in the country, 
the fair number that have been killed, and the still greater 
_ number that have been wounded and got away, and I am 
inclined to think that both the boldness and pluck of East 
_ African lions compare very poorly with those of South Africa 
and the Somali country. Even when wounded, I have found 
_ them anything but plucky or savage beasts. Three out of the 
four lions I have myself bagged, and three others which got away 
wounded, never attempted to charge, although they were 
___ all followed up into bush where it was impossible to see them 
_- until fairly close, and in each instance they could see mé 
some time before I could see them, but they merely lay and 
snarled, or slunk away altogether. 
Lions in East Africa, when found near the coast, which is 
mostly thick bush country, are for the most part maneless, or 
nearly so. I have heard it suggested that the thick bush has 
something to do with this, as the long hairs of the mane get 
pulled out and worn away, and it is quite possible that this 
may be so, for the buffaloes on the coast are also very scantily 
covered with hair, and are of a dull slate colour from the skin 
showing through. In the Masai country lions have very often 
_ splendid manes, and the buffaloes, even the old bulls, are 
__ well covered with hair. This, however, may be accounted for 
more reasonably by the great difference in the temperature 
__ than by the more open nature of the country, the air of 
_ the higher altitudes being bracing and cool, not to say cold, 
_ whilst that on the coast is moist and muggy. Lions with both 
_ dark and light coloured manes are found in East Africa, those 
found north of Machako’s being darker as a rule than those 
further south. 
Buffaloes and zebras are the two species of game on which 
lions mostly prey. In my own experience I have come across 
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