MAMMALIA—LION. 163 
magnificence, the fountains which were constructed for the accommodation 
of an enormous population are now useless, except to the wandering Arab, 
and to the jackal and hyena, who stray amongst these ruins after sunset, 
to search for water at the deserted reservoirs. Seldom does the hyena 
molest the traveller in these solitudes; but his howl, or the encounter of 
his fierce and sullen eye, is always alarming. Captain Beechey says, 
“*¢ although we had very frequently been disturbed by hyznas, we never 
found that familiarity with their howl, or their presence, could render their 
near approach an unimportant occurrence ; and the hand would instinctively 
find its way to the pistol, before we were aware of the action, whenever 
either of these interruptions obtruded themselves ¢losely upon us, either by 
night or by day.” Such encounters are generally without any fatal results, 
if the man does not commence the attack. The hyena sets up a how], and 
doggedly walks away, with his peculiar limping motion, which gives him 
an appearance of lameness, but when he is attacked, his resistance is as 
fierce as it is obstinate. 
é 
EEE EON! 
\ne outward form of the lion seems to speak the superiority of his m- 
ternal qualities. His figure is striking, his look confident and bold, his 
gait proud, and his voice terrible. His stature is not overgrown, like that 
of the elephant, or the rhinoceros; nor is the shape clumsy, like that of the 
hippopotamus, or the ox. He is in every respect compact and well-propor- 
tioned, a perfect model of strength joined with agility. 
1 Felis Leo, Lin. The genus Felis has six upper and six lower incisors ; two upper and 
two lower canines ; eight or six upper and six lower molars; five toes on the fore feet 
hind feet tetradactyle; nails retractile; head short ; four molars on each side of the upper 
raw the last tuberculous and very small; three in the lower Jaw; ears pomted. 
