BIG GAME 303 



deer abound, leopards are not uncommon, and one or 

 the remaining herds of European bison still remains 

 there. The forest is so thick, so wet, and so unhealthy, 

 that it cannot become a regular hunting-ground. 

 There remains one more possible new hunting-ground, 

 the oldest in the world, for it was possibly the scene 

 of Nimrod's own exploits. This is the Baghtiara 

 highlands of Persia, where the lion is still numerous 

 by the thick covers near the rivers. The late Sir 

 Henry Laird, when a guest of these mountain tribes, 

 was informed that all the black-maned lions were not 

 only good Mussulmans, but ' Shiahs ' to a lion, and 

 only required the name of Hassan and Hosein to be 

 mentioned if they were required to move on. The 

 yellow-maned lions were * Kaffirs/ and were shot at 

 sight. 



