THE LION 



roar with the cry of the cock ostrich have evidently 

 never been camped out in the desolate vi^ilds on a 

 stormy night with half a score of lions prowling 

 around, mingling their horrifying roars with the 

 meanings of the gathering storm and distant rum- 

 blings of thunder. The stoutest heart quails with 

 fear under such circumstances. 



Some years ago a hunter on the quest for lions in 

 Northern Rhodesia discovered the remains of the 

 skeletons of a lion and male gemsbuck. The latter's 

 long lance-like horns were tightly wedged through 

 the ribs of the lion ; and the neck-bones of the gems- 

 buck, crushed and broken, indicated that both had 

 died in mortal combat. The lion had doubtless 

 made his spring, and the gemsbuck spitted him on 

 his horns. Possibly this is of more frequent occur- 

 ence than is supposed, as jackals and other carniv- 

 orous animals would naturally destroy all traces in 

 the majority of instances. 



After killing an animal the lion's first proceeding 

 is usually to disembowel the victim and bury the 

 entrails, in order, it is thought, to conceal the odour 

 given off by them, for fear of attracting other car- 

 nivorous animals. 



Mr. Anderson, the naturalist, relates an instance 

 of seeing a lion and lioness fighting over the body of 

 an antelope, which eventually resulted in the death 

 of the lioness and the devouring of a considerable 

 portion of her flesh by her mate. 



Lions breed freely in captivity, and rear their 



VOL. I 113 8 



