120 



THE LION. 



unnoticed even by the zebra-sentinel. The Lions crept on, until they reached the sheltering 

 thicket, when the sentinel took the alarm. It was too late — with a single bound, the leading 

 Lion sprang over the reeds, felled one of the zebras, and set the others scampering in all direc- 

 tions so as to fall an easy prey to his companions. 



It has happened that snch alliances have come to a tragical end for the assailant as well 

 as the victim. 



"Early one morning," says Mr. Anderson, in his "Lake Ngami," "one of our herdsmen 

 came running up to us in a great fright, and announced that a Lion was devouring a Lioness. 

 We thought at first that the man must be mistaken, but his story was perfectly true, and only 

 her skull, the larger bones, and the skin were left. On examining the ground moi'e closely, the 

 fresh remains of a young springbok were also discovered. We therefore conjectured that the 

 Lion and Lioness, being very hungry, and the antelope not proving a sufficient meal for both, had 

 quarrelled ; and he, after killing his wife, had coolly eaten her also." 



The same writer relates a curious instance of a wounded Lion 

 being torn in pieces by a troop of his fellows. 



In the attack of large animals, the Lion seldom attempts an 

 unaided assault, but joins in the pursuit with several companions. 

 Thus it seems, to be that the stately giraffe is slain by the Lion, 

 five of which have been seen engaged in the chase of one giraffe, 

 two actually pulling down their prey, while the other three were 

 waiting close at hand. The Lions were driven off, and. the neck of 

 the giraffe was found to be bitten through by the cruel teeth of the 

 assailants. 



When the Lion kills an eland, and does not happen to be very 

 ravenously hungry, he feeds daintily on the heart and other viscera, 

 not often touching the remainder of the flesh. In so doing, he rips 

 open the abdomen with his powerful claws, and tearing out his 

 favorite morsels, devours them. Sometimes, after satisfying his 

 hunger, he will leave the eland lying on the ground apparently unin- 

 jured, the only visible wound being that which he has made by 

 tearing the animal open. 



Owing to the uniform tawny color of the Lion's coat, he is hardly distinguishable from 

 surrounding objects even in broad daylight, and by night he walks secure. Even the practised 

 eyes of an accomplished hunter have been unable to detect the bodies of Lions which were 

 lapping water at some twenty yards' distance, betraying their vicinity by the sound, but so 

 blended in form with the landscape, that they afforded no mark for the rifle even at that short 

 distance. 



Under such cii-cumstances, their glowing eyes afford the only means by which they can 

 be discovered, and even with such assistance the position of the body cannot be made out. 

 The felidee tread so silently that no footfall gives notice of their whereabouts ; and aided by 

 the beautiful mechanism of the "whiskers," they appear to be enabled to thread their 

 stealthy way, almost without the aid of eyes. 



Each whisker hair is, in fact, an organ endued with an exquisite sense of touch, and in 

 connection with a set of large nerves that convey to the brain the least touch. In the engraving 

 is given a magnified representation of a single hair-bulb of one of the whiskers, together with 

 the nerves by means of which the hair is converted into a tactile organ. It will be seen, on 

 reference to the figure, that if the exti-emity of the hair is touched, a pressure will instantly 

 be made on the nerves at its root. By means of these delicate feelers, the animals are able to 

 guide themselves through the thickets, and to escape the risk of alarming their intended prey 

 by too rude a contact with the branches. 



Among the more inland settlers of Southern Africa, adventures with the Lion are of com- 

 mon occurrence. As may by expected, many of these rencontres are of a deeply tragic nature, 

 while others are imbued with a decidedly comic element. A great number of original anec- 

 dotes of this nature have been most kindly placed at my disposal by Captain Drayson, who 



EOOT AND NERVES OF LION'S 

 WHISKER HAIR. 



