1.44 CAPT. R. ORAWSIIAY ON THE PREY OF THE LION, [Juiie 7, 



another the prevalent dry phase. But it is absurd to assume 

 that the evohition of these seasonal phases is already perfect and 

 complete over the whole globe, and to speak of the occurrence of 

 wet and dry phases at any season as " very remarkable " ; as a 

 matter of fact, it would be more remarkable if they never did 

 occur simultaneously. 



3. The Pre J of the Lion. 

 By Capt. EiOHARD Ceawshay, F.Z.S. 



[Received June 3, 1904.] 



Prevailing opinion is so often at variance with my own ex- 

 perience on the question of the prey of the Lion, that I venture 

 to offer a few remarks on those experiences covering a period 

 of many years' travel and residence in Central Africa. It is 

 generally believed that the Lion is a fastidious feeder, eating only 

 what he has himself killed in the shape of the larger mammals. 

 I have not found the Lion by any means particular in confining 

 himself to his own kills, or in disposing of carrion when in 

 tolerably good condition. 



As to his prey being only the larger mammals, this is not in- 

 variably the ease, for I am able to establish one instance at least 

 of his preying on the Porcupine. Mr. Selous has it on record 

 that a Lion has eaten the skin of a Sable Antelope preserved with 

 arsenical soap as a natural history specimen. Nothing as re- 

 markable as this has occurred within my own knowledge, but I 

 have known a great many instances of Lions feeding on carrion 

 of my own killing, such as the carcases of Elephants on several 

 occasions. 



The main purpose of my note is to exhibit two Porcupine- 

 quills taken from the left fore-paw of a Lion — the skull, skin, and 

 claws of which I also exhibit. This Lion was shot by myself 

 two days' journey N.W. of Kibwezi, East Africa Protectorate, in 

 March 1898. Three quills were found in the paw, one of which 

 I regret has since been lost. The tvno exhibited measure each 

 approximately 1 inch in length. The cartilage in which the quills 

 wei'e embedded showed no inflammation, so it can be inferred 

 that these at first most painful inflictions must have been there 

 for a considerable time. 



There is no reason for supposing this Lion killed the Porcupine 

 inider the impulse of hunger, because the country teetned with 

 game of all kinds — fi'om rhinoceros, zebra, and ostriches, to vast 

 numbers of antelope, large and small. 



My Ahenga, when I questioned them as to whether they knew 

 other instances of Lions preying on such small game as Porcupines, 

 seemed amused, and replied : — " Oh, indeed ! even field rats : 

 they tear them out of the ground with their claws " ! 



The larger mammals, no doubt, form the Lion's chief prey — 

 Buffalo more especially, when these abounded ; but, as can be 

 seen, there are times when even small rodents are in requisition. 



