202 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 



about four feet and a half. The female is about 

 one-fourth part less, and without the mane. 



As the Lion advances in years, his mane grows 

 longer and thicker. The hair on the rest of his 

 body is short and smooth, of a tawny colour, but 

 whitish on the belly. The roaring of the Lion is 

 loud and dreadful: when heard in the night, it 

 resembles distant thunder. Its cry of anger is 

 much louder and shorter. 



The Lion seldom attacks any animal openly, ex- 

 cept when compelled by extreme hunger: in that 

 case no danger deters him; but as most animals 

 endeavour to avoid him, he is obliged to have re- 

 course to artifice, and take his prey by surprise. 

 For this purpose, he crouches on his belly in some 

 thicket, where he waits till his prey approaches; 

 and then, with one prodigious spring he leaps upon 

 it at the distance of fifteen or twenty feet, and 

 generally seizes it at the first bound. If he miss 

 his object, he gives up the pursuit; and turning 

 back towards the place of his ambush, he measures 

 the ground step by step, and again lies in wait for 

 another opportunity. The lurking place of the Lion 

 is generally chosen near a spring, or by the side of 

 a river; where he frequently has an opportunity of 

 catching such animals as come to quench their 

 thirst. 



There are, however, instances where the Lion 

 deviates from his usual method of taking his prey, 

 of which the following, related by Sparrman, is 

 remarkable: A Hottentot, perceiving that he was 

 followed by a Lion, and concluding that the animal 

 only waited the approach of night to make him his 

 prey, began to consider of the best method of pro- 

 viding for his safety, which he at length effected in 



