32 NATURAL HISTORY. 



near her den. Her mate also ably seconds her endeavours, 

 and has been known to keep the hunters at bay until she has 

 withdrawn her cubs to a place of safety, after which he bounds 

 off in the direction which she has taken. 



The lion when young is easily tamed, and shows a strong 

 attachment to its keeper. Those who have seen Van Amburgh 

 will know what influence man may obtain over this powerful 

 creature. Many anecdotes have been told of the celebrated 

 lion " Nero," who would suffer even strangers to caress him, 

 and carry children on his back with the greatest good-nature. 



Many naturalists, of whom Buffon is the (Jhief, have fallen 

 into errors concerning the contradictory dispositions of the 

 lion and tiger. "The lion unites with a high degree of 

 fierceness, courage, and strength, the more admirable qualities 

 of nobleness, clemency, and magnanimity. Walking with a 

 gentle step, he does not deign to attack man urdess provoked 

 to the combat. He neither quickens his step nor flies, and 

 never pursues the inferior animals except when urged by 

 hunger," while the tiger " presents a compound of meanness 

 and ferocity ; he seems always thirsty for blood," &c. &c. Now 

 nothing can be more erroneous than these sentences. The 

 tiger is as tameable as the lion, the tiger and lion seize their 

 prey with equal ferocity, and neither will attack a man or any 

 other animal when satisfied with food. 



There is a small hook or claw at the extremity of the lion's 

 tail, which has been represented as the means by which the 

 animal lashes itself into fury, using it as a spur. This is im- 

 possible, as the claw or prickle is very small, not fixed to the 

 bone as the claws of the feet are, but merely attached to the 

 skin, and falls off if roughly handled. It is not present in all 

 lions, as Mr. Wood only discovered it once out of numerous 

 specimens which he examined.^ 



* In the Nineveh Sculptures this claw is very strongly marked. 



