172 THE LION 



stomach with locusts and with the veriest offal 

 of any kind, and, as a friend of mine informed 

 me, to appease the pangs of an unpleasant 

 vacuum with the malodorous flannel shirt of 

 a long-unwashed native. There are authentic 

 stories to the effect that he does not, in certain 

 circumstances, hesitate at even cannibalism, if no 

 other means present themselves of satisfying the 

 pangs of hunger. It may be taken, therefore, 

 that there is probably no known variety of 

 beast which displays a more surprising catholicity 

 of taste. 



The female produces two or three cubs at a 

 birth, and these remain with the parents until, 

 on the arrival of their second teeth, — at the age 

 of about two years, — ^they proceed to hunt for 

 themselves. By this time they are very nearly 

 full grown, and have been duly and carefully 

 instructed by the parent animals in all the arts 

 of their bloodthirsty craft. During early in- 

 fancy they are carefully fed by the mother until 

 old enough to accompany the older animals on 

 their periodical forays, when, it is said, the latter 

 encourage them to make the attack, and stand 

 by to see it properly delivered. There can be 

 little doubt, however, that the family remains 

 intact until the young beasts are almost mature. 

 In Cheringoma, a few years ago, I surprised five 

 lions on one occasion which appeared to me at 

 first to be of equal size ; but on careful examina- 

 tion with powerful glasses I satisfied myself 

 that three of the animals were quite young, the 

 manes of two being scarcely perceptible. I was 



