THE LION IN SOUTH AFRICA 325 
kill the animal as quickly and artistically as a single old 
male lion would have done, but bite it and claw it all over, 
especially on the back of the neck, the tops of the shoulder- 
blades, and on the elbow-joint and the insides of the thighs. 
This inartistic work may possibly be owing to the fact that 
when a family of Jions is together the old lions leave the 
younger animals to do the killing, in order to allow them to 
learn their trade, or else because as soon as an old lion has 
seized an ox, or a buffalo, or whatever animal it may be, the 
young ones, being unable to restrain themselves, spring on to it, 
and bite it all over, with the result that the unfortunate animal is 
not so cleanly killed as he would have been had he been left to 
one old lion. Horses, donkeys and zebras are killed by lions 
by being bitten at the back of the neck, just behind the ears, 
or else in the throat ; but always just round the head. As far 
as my Memory serves me, it is not usual for them to hold a 
_ horse by the nose with one paw as they do an ox, and this ruse 
is, I think, employed by them with horned animals in order to 
prevent them making use of their horns. Full-grown giraffes 
are sometimes killed by lions, though not very often. When 
they do fall victims they are probably seized, and bitten high 
up in the neck near the head, whilst lying down. Human 
beings when carried off by lions are usually seized by the head, 
and in that case are killed instantaneously, the canine teeth 
being driven through the skull at the first bite. If the head is 
not the part first bitten it will be the shoulder, and in that case 
the man will probably have been lying on his side with the one 
shouider exposed. 
As far as my experience goes, I have never known an in- 
Stance of a lion carrying its prey raised from the ground. Even 
such small and light animals as goats, impala antelopes, and 
young wart-hogs are always held by the head or neck, and 
dragged along the ground at the side of the lion. When aheavy 
animal like a horse or an ox is dragged, it is always held by the 
neck. Isimply cannot believe in the possibility ofa lion’s springing 
over a palisade and carrying the carcase of an ox with him. 
