110 DIVISION I. VERTEBKAL ANIMALS. — CLASS I. JIAMxMALIA. 



The cats fire raiigcil under Ih e genera. I. L(-<) — Lions of tlie Old 

 "World. II. Piumi — Lions of the New World. III. Fdh — Tigers, 

 panthers, etc., common to both continents. IV. Cijna'darus. \ . L'jn- 

 chtis — Lvnxcs. 



Genus I. Leo — The Lion. Of all the beasts of prey, tlie lion is, by far, 

 the most powerful. Ilis admitted superiority of strength, together with the 

 majesty of iiis demeanor, won for him, even at an carl}' period, tlic title of 

 " king of beasts." The color of these animals is uniforndy tawny, but the 

 tuft of hair which terminates the tail is black. The males arc distinguished 

 l)y a Ihnving mane, that clothes the neck, head, and shouldcr.s. Formerly 

 they inhabitt'd I'^urope as well as Asia and AiVira, but the barbarous customs 

 to which we lune just alluded must soon have efh-'Ctcd their extermination 

 in the former, anil wvx nuich restricted them in the latter countries. 



It is our ]iur[iose now to skctcii, as Ijricflv as possible, the principal points 

 of interest in the character, historv, anil haiiits of these creatures, availing 

 ourschcs of the obser\ations of travellers, and especially of those whose 

 tastes ha\e Icil them to seek the lion in his native haunts, and study him 

 there. 



The Afi:ican Liox (Leo Africaniis). — In the burning regions of 

 Afrii-a the lion attains to his most perfect development in size, strength, 

 and grandeur of appearance. In numberless deserts, luitrodden by tiie foot 

 of man, he rules with despotic power over all the rest of the animal world. 

 Xo animal in those immense wilds is sufficiently powerful to withstand his 

 att;ick, or fleet of foot to esca[)c his pursuit. He lies in ambusli by the 

 streams where the feebler races come to drink, springs upon them tuiawarcs, 

 and in a moment ihev are rent to pieces bv his powerfid I'angs. A\ hen his 

 roar resounds along the plains, all living tilings seem to be paralyzed b\' 

 fear, and seek safety, as iiest they may, by flight, or concealing themsehes 

 in holes or the elefts of roeks among the hills. Of all the living world, man 

 alone he fears, and bv man alone has he e^cr been subdued. 



Of the Ali-ican Lion, tlici-e appear to be three varieties. Tennninck recog- 

 nizes two — tluit of l)arliavy and that of Senegal. The first of these has the 

 hair of a deep yellowish-brown, the mane and hair upon the breast and in- 

 sides of the fore legs thick and shaggy. In the second, the color is nmch 

 paler, the mane uuich contracted, being less extensi\e on the shoulders, and 

 almost entirely. wanting ujion the breast and insidcs of the legs. A third 

 variety is marked by a black mane, inhabiting the southern portion of the 

 African continent, and is con.-idered liy the natises as more daring, power- 

 ful, and fierce than the foregoing. 



The Lion of Africa is, full grown, nearly eight feet in length, and five feet 

 in height. The female is considerably less, and her form is much more 



