THE LAND OF FOOTPRINTS 



until a man sees old Leo in the wilderness he has not 

 understood what a fine old chap he is. 



This tremendous weight is sheer strength. A 

 lion's carcass when the skin is removed is a really 

 beautiful sight. The great muscles lie in ropes and 

 bands; the forearm thicker than a man's leg, the 

 lithe barrel banded with brawn; the flanks overlaid 

 by the long thick muscles. And this power is instinct 

 with the nervous force of a highly organized being. 

 The lion is quick and intelligent and purposeful; so 

 that he brings to his intenser activities the concen- 

 tration of vivid passion, whether of anger, of hunger 

 or of desire. 



So far the opinions of varied experience will jog 

 along together. At this point they diverge. 



Just as the lion is one of the most interesting and 

 fascinating of beasts, so concerning him one may 

 hear the most diverse opinions. This man will tell 

 you that any lion is always dangerous. Another 

 will hold the king of beasts in the most utter con- 

 tempt as a coward and a skulker. 



In the first place, generalization about any spe- 

 cies of animal is an exceedingly dangerous thing. 

 I believe that, in the case of the higher animals at 

 least, the differences in individual temperament are 

 quite likely to be more numerous than the specific 

 likenesses. Just as individual men are bright or dull, 



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