The Cat Tribe. 63 



unawares on a mouse rather than chase it, so does the 

 Jion act towards the larger animals on which he preys. 



Should the animal be of such size that the hlo\v 

 from his paw would be insufficient to kill it, the lion 

 springs upon the flank or shoulder, and drags it to the 

 ground by sheer strength, when it is easily despatched. 

 A lion and his mate have been seen to spring upon a 

 giraffe, and by their combined efforts to tear it to the 

 ground. 



Although the lion prefers living animals for his prey, 

 he by no means disdains a repast from any carcase 

 which he may find lying in his path. It is thought by 

 several writers that many " man-eaters " acquire their 

 taste for human flesh by preying upon the bodies of 

 slain natives which they find in the bush. 



If large game be scarce, he will satisfy his hunger by 

 a meal on some of the smaller rodents, and has even 

 been known to devour locusts and other insects in 

 times of scarcity. If he should happen to suffer from 

 thirst, too, when water cannot be procured, his instinct 

 teaches him to search for the juicy water-melons which 

 grow in the desert, and which answ r er the purpose of 

 liquid nourishment to many animals ; so that we have 

 the remarkable fact of a carnivorous animal voluntarily 

 taking to vegetable food. 



The lion is justly dreaded by the colonists of Southern 

 Africa, for hardly a more determined foe to the farms 

 could be found. Night after night he visits the 

 enclosures, carrying off a valuable animal at each 

 visit, and making his raids with such cunning and 

 ingenuity, that it is generally a most difficult matter 

 to trap or shoot him. Favoured by the darkness of 

 the night, he creeps close to the folds, carefully 

 watching for every sign of danger ; as soon as he is 

 satisfied that his presence is unnoticed, he leaps 

 among the cattle, strikes one of the animals to the 



