KUNOL. SV. VET. AKADBMIENS HANDLINGAR, BAND 48. N:0 5^ 75 



somaliensis. If the occipital crests are not counted in, the diffetence in length be- 

 tween the South African and the SomaU skull is 32 cm. (viz. the difference between 

 their condylobasal measurements). The zygomatic breadth of the South African 

 is 251 mm. The difference with regard to this dimension is thus about equal to 

 the difference in condylobasal length. The interorbital breadth, on the other hand, 

 is in spite of other dimensions even a Uttle smaller in the South African (71,5 mm.) 

 than in the Somali Lion, but the least postorbital width is larger in the former viz. 

 68 mm. The same is also the case with the width of the palatal opening at sutura 

 'patatopterygoidea viz. 40 mm., and the distance between the bullae in front viz. 31 

 mm., although in a smaller degree in the latter case. The distance between the tips 

 of the postorbital processes is 112 mm. in the South African Lion, thus larger than 

 in the other, and naturally enough this is also the case with the length of p* which 

 amounts to 40 mm. 



The nasals are very different in the two races, those of the South African Lion 

 being much longer measiiring mesially 102 mm. against 80 mm. in the Somali ani- 

 mal. The greatest combined breadth of the nasals in front is resp. 71 mm. and 

 59 mm. 



The length of the lower jaw from the back of the condyle to the anterior sur- 

 face at the symphysis is in the South African Lion 257 mm., and in the Somali 

 Lion 231 mm. 



The former has thus more powerful jaws and in connection with this a stron- 

 ger musculature which again has caused a stronger development of crests and bones 

 on which these muscles are inserted. 



The Somali Lion is apparently a » Bush-Lion » and this may account for the 

 scantiness of its mane (PL VI fig. 1), such an ornament being decidely not useful 

 for an animal living in thick bush as it must get entangled in the thorns and twigs. 

 The bush does not offer such an abundance of big game as the open plains, and this 

 is perhaps the explanation of the inferior size of this race. It is, however, bold 

 enough to prey even on big animals if it gets an opportunity. One day when we 

 were camping at Guaso Nyiri below Chanler Falls one of our native gimbearers repor- 

 ted that he had found the remains of a female Giraffe which had apparently been 

 killed by Lions when it came down to the river to drink. This seemed very strange 

 and I went to the spot the following day. The remains consisted, however, then 

 only of the skull and the picked bones left by the Hyenas and Vultures so that it 

 was impossible to find out anything about how the animal had been killed. It is pos- 

 sible that the Lion(s) had sprung on the Giraffe when it stooped to drink, and it may 

 be possible that it was sick or had been wounded before. The male specimen which 

 I shot had a remarkably big belly and was much infested with ticks of the species 

 Ehipicephalus armatus. It was nevertheless in very good condition and contained a 

 great deal of fat which is highly appreciated by the natives. 



The carcase of a Rhinoceros is sure to attract the Lions, and this is known 

 to some sportsmen much to the injury of the Rhinos! 



