152 



VERTEBRATA. 



lioness and dog. — (bee p. 248.) 



blood. Tn the summer season, when the days are \ong, lie goes out at the setting of the sun, and 

 crouches by some frequented path, where 'the tinkling caravan descends the mountain road,' or 

 watches for a traveler with his horse, or some belated herdsman. 



"The tawny lion and the gray lion do not differ from each other, except in the color of the 

 mane, and are a little larger than the black lion, and not so short. With the exception of the 

 differences we have just shown, all the three species have the same character and habits. The 

 life of this animal may be divided into two distinct eras, in which he seems to be, after a manner, 

 an entire ly different being, which difference has given rise to a thousand errors respecting him; 

 these two eras are the day and night. In the day-time, he is accustomed to retire into the depths 

 of the woods, at a distance from all noise, to sleep and digest his meals at his leisure. In the 

 night, he roams abroad, the king of the universe. Tt has been said that the Hon will not attack a 

 man. because perchance a man has found himself face to face with one that the flies or the sun 

 bas obliged to change his lair, or that has come down to the water to drink, and yet escaped with 

 impunity, without remembering that the drowsy epicure was half asleep, and sated with f>. .1. 

 Be doc- not kill for the pleasure of killing, but to satisfy his hunger, or to defend himself when 

 attacked. In a country like Algiers, literally covered with herds, he is never fasting, except 

 during the day, while Bleeping; and the natives, knowing this, take care to stay at home when 

 he quite hi- lair, <>r, if they are obliged to travel at night, they never go on foot or alone. As to 

 myself, I will say that if I have noticed an indifferent expression on the countenance of several 

 lion- v. bom I have met abroad early in the evening, I never saw those that I met at night exhibit 

 other than the mosl hostile dispositior I am so sure that a single man is inevitably lost if he 

 meets with Buch an encounter, that when I am bivouacking in the mountain, I never leave my 

 tent after Bunsel for an instant, except with my carbine in my hand." 



The roaring of the lion is described by most travelers as exceedingly grand and often terrific. 

 It is a curious fad thai these creature- become mosl active in tempestuous weather; at night, in 

 the midst <>f the terrific thunder-storms that take place in tropical Africa, the roarings of the lion 

 seem actually to challenge the thunder and the lightning. At such times, several of them will 

 often roar in conceit, thus adding a feature of terrific grandeur to the awful anthems of nature. 



