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variety, abundance, and depredation, equalling their destructive 

 hosts in other countries. The penguins, seals, sea otters, and 

 other animals in the amphibious parts of the Cape zoology, found 

 among the rocks and islands near this southern promontory, open 

 an ample field to the naturalist. 



The lions, hyenas, and wild beasts in the interior of the colony 

 are very formidable and destructive. The wonderful stories of 

 these animals, related by farmers from the more distant regions, 

 require no common degree of faith; some of their narrations 

 would have staggered Vaillant himself There appears to be very 

 little difference in the habits of the African lion, and the royal 

 tiger of Hindostan; both are equally crafty, ferocious, and cruel. 

 We read of the noble behaviour and generous conduct of the 

 sovereign of the forest, in ancient history, and cherish the pleas- 

 ing ideas early imbibed of his attachment and friendship to man. 

 Modern lions have certainly the same propensities as all of the 

 feline genus in other countries; and the Cape farmers now com- 

 plain as loudly, if not as elegantly, as Virgil's shepherds. 



" Impastus ceu plena leo per ovilia turbans, 



" Suadet enim vesana fames, manditque trahitque 



" Molle pecus." JEti. g. 



" The famish'd lion, thus, with hunger bold, 



" O'erleaps the fences of the nightly fold, 



'■' And tears the peaceful flocks." Dryden. 



I had no time for distant excursions, but joined several parties 

 to the villas and plantations beyond the sandy plains, three or 

 four miles from Cape-town; where the governor had a country 



