THE AFRICAN LION. 



(Felis leo.) 



The African Lion, familiar to the gen- 

 eral public as the sulky tenant of a barred 

 cage, ranges with freer strides through- 

 out the length and breadth of Africa, and 

 even extends through Persia into the 

 northwestern part of India. Fossil re- 

 mains show that at one time Felis 

 leo inhabited the southern part of 

 Europe as well, but the king of 

 beasts was evidently considered good 

 sport by primitive man, and he became 

 extinct in Europe except where, in the 

 Roman amphitheatres, and in many a 

 meaner cage since, he has roared for the 

 edification of the populace. 



The literature of all nations is full of 

 allusions to the Lion ; to his bravery, his 

 grandeur and his strength. The old As- 

 syrian kings carved pictures of them- 

 selves in bas relief hurling javelins into 

 crouching Lions, and many a sportsman 

 is to-day beating the thorn-thickets and 

 trailing bver the sandy plains of Africa 

 with the same unreasoning enthusiasm, 

 yet hoping, perhaps, in a vague way to 

 hand down his name along with the As- 

 syrian kings by writing a book. It is the 

 Lion's misfortune as well as his glory 

 that he is king of beasts. 



The Lion differs from the other Felidae 

 in the great strength and massive propor- 

 tions of his head and shoulders, and more 

 especially in the arrangement and growth 

 of the hair on the body. Where, in other 

 cats, the hair lies flat and close along the 

 skin, the Lion is so clothed only on his 

 yellowish-brown body. The hair of the 

 top of the head and of the neck to the 

 shoulders stands erect or bristles forward, 

 forming the beautiful and characteristic 

 mane of the adult male and suggesting in 

 a way not otherwise possible the massive 

 strength of the great paws, one blow from 

 which will fell an ox or crush the skull 

 of a man without an effort. In most 

 Lions the mane is of a darker color than 

 the remainder of the body, being often al- 



most black. The elbows, tip of tail and 

 the under parts of the bod}' are also 

 clothed with this long, bristly hair, but 

 it is found only on males above three 

 years of age The females have smaller 

 heads and shoulders and are of a uniform 

 color 



In many minor ways the Lion is spe- 

 cially adapted for his predatory life. Ev- 

 ery tooth in his head is sharp pointed or 

 sharp edged The great canine teeth are 

 set far apart in his square jaws and locked 

 together like a vice The molars are 

 transformed from grinders into incisors, 

 yet are so strong that they will crack 

 heavy bones. The papillae on the tongue 

 are so developed that they resemble long, 

 horny spines curved backwards, giving 

 the tongue the appearance of a coarse 

 rasp. With this rough tongue the Lion 

 can lick the meat from bones as easily as 

 a house cat eats butter, and should a 

 friendly Lion lick his keeper's hand the 

 flesh would be torn and the blood flow. 

 The claws are very large and sharp, and 

 are so nicely sheathed in the soft cushions 

 of his feet that the Lion neither blunts 

 nor wears them down. Yet when he 

 strikes with tense paws every claw is like 

 a hook and a dagger to tear and cut. 



In seeking his prey the Lion lies in 

 wait by springs and water holes and 

 leaps upon his victims from the ambush 

 of some bush or rock as vellow as his own 

 tawny hide ; or, failing in this, he sneaks 

 up the wind and through the thickets and 

 reeds of a watercourse or swamp and 

 quickly leaps upon a surprised antelope or 

 zebra or savage buffalo, crushing it to 

 the ground by his great weight, while he 

 strikes and tears it with paws and teeth. 

 In cultivated districts the Lion prowls 

 about the fields and villages^ seizing cat- 

 tle and sheep, and often, when he is old 

 and lazy, rushes into some camp or hut 

 at night and carries off a man. In many 

 parts of Africa the natives build great 



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