THE LION 



{Felis leo) 



Ingonyama, Imbubesi or Imbubi of Swazis and Zulus 

 (Kirby) ; Ingonyama of Amaxosa [Stanford) ; Tau of 

 Bechuanas and Basutos [Bryden and Kirhy). 



The Lion is regarded as the king of wild beasts, and 

 like Robinson Crusoe, he was " monarch of all he 

 surveyed," until man invaded his haunts and made 

 war upon him with his terrible weapons of destruc- 

 tion. The lion now experiences the novelty of being 

 hunted himself. However, in the wilder parts of 

 Central Africa, where civilised man rarely penetrates 

 with his firearms, the lion still holds sway, and fear- 

 lessly roams through his domains, dining off the 

 tenderest and most appetising parts of herbivorous 

 animals whenever the pangs of hunger trouble him. 

 His diet consists mainly of members of the antelope 

 tribe. He lies in ambush and suddenly pounces out 

 upon his prey, or, if he fails after the first rush, he 

 makes a succession of terrific springs and leaping 

 bounds for a hundred yards or so, travelling almost as 

 fast as the fleetest horse ; but he cannot keep up this 



104 



