26 



at once 



ich the 

 Philistine 



NATURAL HISTORY. 



bean feeding with avidity on the paunch, with its contents of softened and half-digested 

 completely finishing this "herbaceous treat" before setting to work on the flesh. It 

 {vide n/te that very old Lions take to eating grass, thus giving a literal significance 

 e "Lion and Lamb" illustration, used by poets of all ages to express the change by 

 'natural man" is converted into the " spiritual man," the savage civilised, and the 

 " cultured" The Lion shall eat straw like the Ox." 



" And now beside thee, bleating Lamb, 



I can lie down and sleep, 

 Or think on Him who bore thy name, 

 Graze after thee and weep." 



The Lion enjoys the honourable distinction of being, unlike most Carnivora, strictly faithful 

 to his spouse, although report says that she is by no means so virtuous, but only cleaves to her 



mate until a stronger 

 and handsomer one 

 turns up. Let us hope 

 this is a calumny. 

 At the breeding 

 season each Lioness 

 is usually followed by 

 a number of Lions, 

 who try all means in 

 their power to gain 

 her affections, and 

 fight the most terrible 

 battles with one 

 another. In these 

 fights the mane is of 

 great use, for its 

 length and thickness 

 prevent the com- 

 batants taking a firm 

 grip of one another's 

 neck. Thus, the Lion 

 with the finest mane 

 has the best chance 

 of succeeding in life 

 in two ways. The 

 Lioness is more likely 

 to take a fancy to 



him than to a less favoured suitor, for most of the lower animals, as well as ourselves, appreciate 

 personal adornment very strongly ; and he has also the best possible protection in the tournament in 

 which he is obliged to take part, fighting, d, outrance, against all comers. 



When the battle is over, and the "queen of love and beauty" has bestowed the prize 

 herself on the victor, the happy pair live together until the young are able to take care of themselves. 

 The male often hunts for his mate, and allows her to take as much as she wants of the prey before 

 satisfying his own hunger. He cares for her in the same way all the time she is suckling, and for the 

 litter from the time when they are weaned till they are able to hunt for themselves. 



The Lioness goes with young about fifteen or sixteen weeks, and produces from two to six at a 

 litter. The cubs are delightful little creatures, about as big as a moderate-sized Cat, blind at first, with 

 pretty, innocent faces, and delightfully playful ways. The mother is devoted to them ; thinks, no 

 doubt, like Celia Chettam, in " Middlemarch," that where there are babies " things are right enough, 

 and that error, in general, is a mere lack of that central posing force." 



THE KISS OF PEACE. 



