168 



MAMMALIA— LIOX. 



THE BENGAL LION, 



The uniformity of his color is one characteristic which distinguishes the 

 3 ion from his congeners of the feline race. Except in his young state, when 

 there is an appearance of stripes, he is of a pale tawny above, which be- 

 comes somewhat lighter beneath. A second mark is, the long and flowing 

 mane of the full grown male, which, commencing nearly at the root of his 

 nose, extends backwards over his shoulders, and gracefully undulates on 

 each side of his face and neck. A third is, a long and blackish tuft of hairs 

 which terminates his tail. In size, the Asiatic lion rarely equals the south- 

 ern African. He is of a more uniform and pale yellow, and has a peculiar 

 appendage in the long hairs which begin beneath the neck, and occupy the 

 whole of the middle line of the body below. 



The lioness has no mane, is of smaller size than the lion, more slenderly 

 and delicately made, and more graceful and agile in her movements. The 

 head of the lion is almost uniformly elevated ; that of the lioness is almost 

 uniformly carried on a level with the line of her back, which gives her a 

 sullen and doAvncast look. The period of gestation is a hundred and eight 

 days. The young are born with the eyes open ; but the ear does not be- 

 come completely erect for tAvo months. The lion arrives at maturity in 

 five years, and is then nearly eight feet long. 



