4492 THE ZOOLOGIST—J UNE, 1875. 
Lions in Algeria.—M. Hippolyte Bétoulle, the lion killer, writing from 
Souak-Ahras, in Algeria, to the ‘ Chasse Illustré,’ says that MM. Gerard, 
Bombonnel, and others, have given Europeans quite a false idea of the 
habits and customs of lions and other wild animals in Algeria. He has 
resided in that country for the last ten years, and during the greater portion 
of that time has been engaged in hunting wild and ferocious beasts under 
the guidance of two celebrated native huntsmen named Hamed-ben-Amar 
and Bel-Kassem-ben-Salah, both of whom are covered with wounds and 
sears. ‘The former has slain more than a hundred lions and panthers, and 
the latter more than sixty. M. Bétoulle, according to his own statement, 
has killed lions and panthers both by day and night, with and without a 
moon, alone and in the company of Europeans, and he has come to the 
conclusion that these animals only attack human beings when they are 
wounded, or when the female has young ones, in which case they inhabit . 
such secluded portions of the forest that travellers need have little fear 
of meeting them. This opinion is shared by Amar and Bel-Kassem. 
M. Bétoulle killed a large lion on the 3rd of January, and presented it to 
General Kebillard, commander of the sub-division. The animal was killed 
at night time. There was no moon, and it was traced by its roar. Lions 
and panthers in Algeria only constitute a nuisance on account of their 
destructive propensities. M. Bétoulle tells us that Amar, Bel-Kassem and 
himself have ascertained by experience that every full-grown lion costs the 
inhabitants of the neighbourhood in which he resides between £48 and £60 
a-year: he eats or kills a large beast—such, for example, as an ox—every 
five days, and a sheep or a goat every day. People may travel in Algeria 
without fear of being attacked by lions or panthers. The animal that they 
have to dread most is, in M. Bétoulle’s opinion, the Bedouin Land and 
Water,’ March 13, 1875. 
[The panther is now generally banished from the list of quadrupeds, 
M. Bétoulle refers to the leopard without doubt—Edward Newman.] 
Stoat near Ringwood.— An unusual number of these high-smelling 
creatures seem to have been met with in this neighbourhood during the 
past winter (1874-1875), all in the white or partly white dress. A bird- 
stuffer, whom I know, received five at one time, and I saw three or four 
lying together near the house of a gamekeeper, besides several others 
gibbeted upon the bushes at no great distance. Has their occurrence been 
observed in other localities? Has any reader of the ‘ Zoologist’ ever seen 
instance of the so-called fascination which this creature is said to have the 
power of exercising over its victims? and does the stoat always kill them 
by sucking their blood? I am led to make these enquiries, as I believe 
stoats possess the power of fascinating to a certain extent, and because 
I have seen the opinion of their sucking blood called in question.—@. B. 
Corbin. 
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