434 CLASS MAMMALIA. 



serve no less than three distinct tracks, all leading to the 

 prey, but from different parts of the jungle, and justly 

 concluded that there were more than one of these fierce 

 animals near them. While returning to their Elephant 

 and their party, among whom was one of the gentlemen 

 who have charge of the Elephants belonging to the East India 

 Company, they were astonished to see a Lion come out to 

 the edge of the jungle, open his jaws, and stretch himself, 

 and then coolly return into the cover. Having mounted 

 their Elephant, a large female, they proceeded into the 

 jungle, with more courage than wisdom ; but they had 

 scarcely advanced a few yards, when the Lion sprang at 

 them, and the Elephant, wheeling round, fled to the plain, 

 but with a severe wound in the hough. The next day, a 

 regular hunting party, with a considerable force of Ele- 

 phants, was mustered, and when the line was formed, the 

 half-hamstrung Elephant, trembling with anxiety, and 

 giving proofs of her extreme uneasiness, was yet so keen 

 as to be always her whole length before the others in the 

 clearing of the jungle *. Before night, three Lions were 

 killed, and thus, for the first time, probably, the presence 

 of the Lion in India was satisfactorily established. 



The distinctness of the two varieties may be inferred 

 from this circumstance, that a Lioness of the Asiatic breed, 

 which was in Exeter ""Change, was frequently offered to the 

 African Lion, which is also kept there, and was constantly 

 refused, while his attachment still remains unaltered for 

 the Lioness of his own country, in the same menagerie, 

 which has produced several litters, the fruits of their inter- 

 course. Major Smith has known two other instances of 

 the same kind. 



There is also a South-African variety of the species, 

 with the mane nearly black ; and if the specimen, lately in 



* This was, probably, from a desire of vengeance in the saga- 

 cious animal, which continued lame, and was afterwards sold at a 

 considerable loss. 



