BOOK VIII.] History of Nature. 23 



where for want of Water the Wild Beasts meet in Troops 

 about the few Rivers that are found. And hence it is that 

 so many strangely shaped Beasts are there produced, for the 

 Males, either by Force or through Wantonness, mix with 

 the Females of various Kinds. From hence also proceeds 

 the common Greek Proverb, That Africa is continually 

 bringing forth something new. 1 The Lion knoweth by Scent 

 of the Panther when the Lioness hath suffered his Embrace ; 

 and with all his might he punisheth her Adultery. And 

 therefore she either washeth away the Crime in a River, 

 or else folio weth the Lion at a great Distance. I see it is a 

 commonly received Opinion that the Lioness bringeth forth 

 Young but once, because the Whelps in her Parturition 



killed by him in Guzerat. He stated that this variety was distinguished 

 from those previously known by the absence of a mane (that is, it is 

 maneless compared with other lions), from the sides of the neck and 

 shoulders, the middle line of the back of the neck being alone furnished 

 with long hairs, which are erect, like those of the same situation in the 

 Cheetah (Felis jubatd). The under surface of the neck has long loose 

 silky hairs, and there is a tuft at the angle of the anterior legs. Besides 1 

 the absence of the extensive mane, the tail is shorter than that of ordinary 

 lions, and is furnished at its tip with a much larger brush or tuft. Capt. 

 Smee thus characterises his maneless lion : " Felis Leo. LINN. var. Gooj- 

 ratensis. Mane of the male short, erect ; tuft at the apex of the tail very 

 large, black." See " Zool. Proc." 1833 ; also " Zool. Trans." vol. i. where 

 an excellent figure is given ; and " Penny Cyclopaedia," art. Lion. Wern. 

 Club. 



1 Many animals possess a figure so closely resembling more than one 

 of another kind or family, that we cannot wonder if the ancients, with 

 their slender knowledge of nature, thought they really were a mixed breed, 

 and that newly-created species were continually springing up. Thus, 

 according to Pliny's theory, the Camelopardalis, or Giraffe was the off- 

 spring of the Camel and Panther ; the Leopard, of the latter animal and 

 the Lion ; and the Harte-beest (Antelope bubalus) of the Antelope and 

 Buffalo. But modern experience has shewn the fallacy of this opinion ; 

 and we now know that if a hybrid be sometimes produced, there the 

 power of propagation ceases. There is no proof or probability that any 

 permanent race has risen into existence since first individual creation pro- 

 ceeded from the hand of its Maker ; and in a wild condition it is ques- 

 tionable whether even a mongrel individual has been ever produced, 

 although this has sometimes happened in captivity. Wern. Club. 



