24:8 



V BRTEBRATA. 





attack; yet, when actually confronted with an enemy, lie often displays the most undaunted 

 courage. Many talcs have been told of his good temper ami magnanimity. The whole truth on 

 this point seems to be, thai when he is not pressed by hunger he is languid or indifferent If 

 acquaintance be made with him in this state, he often appears magnanimous. A small dog 

 being put into tin- menagerie of the Garden 

 ■ >t' Plants, \\ ith a lioness, was kindly received 

 and finally became a pel an 1 favorite of the 

 monster, playing with her huge jaws as it' 



they had been those of his ther. The 



story ><\ Androcles, the Roman — who mel a 

 lion in a cave in Africa, ami having pulled 

 a thorn «>ut of its toot, from which it was 



Fering, thereby obtained the creature's 



id-will — is probably founded in truth, al- 

 though doubtless embellished. Savage as 

 this animal appears, if taken young, he may 

 rendered comparatively gentle anil tame. 

 Tame lions. Id about in golden chains, 

 have long been partofthe pageantof a Per- 

 sian court: almost every menagerie now-a- 

 days has its tame lions. Van Amburgh has 

 .Maine. 1 a complete mastery, not only over 

 lions, hut tigers ami other felidse of the 

 most ferocious character. The lion was cre- 

 ated to kill and eat other animals : in ful- 

 filling this law of his nature, he is not more 



destructive than man himself. Mankind have butchers who kill for the people: the lion only 

 kills for himself and family. His hunger being appeased, he ceases his slaughter until hunger 

 again calls him to action. In general, he does not attack man, in his native wilds; lie rather 

 prey- on the larger quadrupeds that come within his reach : yet he will attack man when 

 threatened or irritated by him, or when prompted by hunger, especially if he can steal upon him 

 in the early part of the night, when the instinct of destruction is strong upon him. When he 

 ha- once fed on human flesh, he is -aid to prefer it ; and hence the lions that have been horn and 

 bred in the vicinity of towns and villages, have more ferocious habits toward mankind than others. 



The lioness is without a mane ; she is smaller, less powerful, and far less majestic in appear- 

 ance than th<- lion. The sly, skulking, cowardly qualities are also stronger in her. She is 

 jealous and ferocious when her young ones are threatened, and she fearlessly faces any danger in 

 their defense. 



The pairing of these animals i- thus described by Gerard, a Frenchman who spent some years 

 in lion hunts, in Algeria, and who, on account of hi- exploits, obtained the title of "the Lion 

 Killer:" 



•■ h i- ordinarily at the end of January that the monarch of Africa seeks his royal consort. As 

 the male- are, by one third, more numerous than the females, it is not an uncommon occurrence 

 t" find one of these dusky belles accompanied by two or three aspirants, who indulge in mod 

 desperate hat tie- for her favor. She at last, becoming impatient to find that these gallants do not 

 strangle each other to -hare her undivided love, leads them toward the haunt of some brave old 

 lion, whose valor is known afar by the thunder of his voice. The disputing lovers arrive with 

 their mistress in the presence of the new rival, ami march bravely forward. The negotiations 

 are not long, and the result of the encounter is always certain. Attacked by the three lovers at 



01 , tic old lion receives them without moving from his place; he strangles the first with a 



grasp of hi- jaw-, the second is thrown a-ide with a broken leg, and the third feels himself very 

 happy if he can gel away from the battle with one eye, which he very hastUy does, leaving tin 

 other in the claws of hi- master. 



