66 Anecdotal Natural History. 



It has often been noticed, in the case of a mouse 

 caught by a cat, that even when released by its enemy 

 it did not seem to attempt to save itself, but moved as 

 though fascinated and unable to fly. 



So we may conclude that the same merciful provi- 

 sion is made for the various animals upon which the 

 carnivora feed, and that after the first shock little or no 

 pain is felt. 



Livingstone, who was once carried off by a lion, 

 compares the sensation to that of a patient, partially 

 under the influence of chloroform, who sees all the 

 operation, but feels not the knife. ' The shake,' he 

 says, ' annihilated fear, and allowed no sense of horror 

 in looking round at the beast. This peculiar state is 

 probably produced in all animals killed by the carni- 

 vora ; and, if so, is a merciful provision by our bene- 

 volent Creator for lessening the pain of death.' 



Even should a man succeed in making his escape 

 from the clutches of a lion, and his wounds heal in due 

 course, he is very unlikely to have entirely recovered 

 from the effects of his injuries, for there seems to be a 

 peculiar poisonous property about the lion's teeth and 

 claws, causing the wounds made by them to break out 

 afresh every year about the time at which they were 

 first inflicted. 



The lion is an exceedingly cautious and wary animal, 

 and will carefully avoid any object which it does not 

 understand, or which bears the least resemblance to 

 a trap. 



Knowing these cautious habits, the hunters are ac- 

 customed to protect the carcase of a slaughtered animal, 

 which they are unable to carry away at the time, by 

 fastening a streamer of white cloth to a stick, and 

 planting it in the ground close by the animal. Or, a 

 kind of clapper is constructed, which rattles in the 

 wind, and which is planted in the same way. Although 



