THE LIONESS AND HER CUBS. 13 
should unwarily at such a time approach the precincts 
of her sanctuary. Even in a state of captivity, and 
however.completely she may have been previously sub- 
jected to the control of her keeper, she loses all respect 
for his commands, and abandons herself occasionally to 
the most violent paroxysms of rage. 
Of this the individual Lioness now in the Tower 
affords a striking example. We have already observed 
in our account of the Lion that, for a considerable time 
after her arrival in England, she was so tame as to be 
allowed frequently to roam at large about the open yard; 
and even long after it had been judged expedient that 
this degree of liberty should no longer be granted, her 
disposition was far from exciting any particular fear in 
the minds of her keepers. As an instance of this, we 
may mention that when, on one occasion about a year 
and a half ago, she had been suffered through inad- 
vertence to leave her den, and when she was by no 
means in good temper, George Willoughway, the under 
keeper, had the boldness, alone and armed only with 
a stick, to venture upon the task of driving her back 
into her place of confinement; which he finally ac- 
complished, not however without strong symptoms of 
resistance on her part, as she actually made three springs 
upon him, all.of which he was fortunate enough to 
avoid. 
But from the period when she gave birth to her Cubs 
a total alteration has taken place in her temper and 
demeanour. She no longer suffers the least familiarity 
even on the part of her keepers, but gives full scope to 
the violence of her passions. Intent solely on providing 
for the security of her young, she imagines that the 
object of every person who approaches her den is to rob 
