FLESH FOOD FEOM MAMMALS. 69 



the skin -removed the flesh is divided, and the mothers 

 take each a small piece of the animal's heart and give 

 it to their male children to eat, in order to render them 

 strong and courageous. 



It would seem from the Journal of the Marquis of 

 Hastings, when Governor-General of India, that this 

 superstition as to eating lion's flesh is as strong in India, 

 for it is stated : — " Anxious interest was made with our 

 servants for a hit of the flesh, though it should he but 

 the size of a hazel-nut. Every native in the camp, male 

 or female, who was fortunate enough to get a morsel, 

 dressed it and ate it. They have a strong conviction 

 that the eating of a piece of lion's flesh strengthens the 

 constitution incalculably, and is a preservative against 

 many particular distempers. The idea that a person 

 imbibes the characteristics of an animal which he eats is 

 very widely distributed. The Malays at Singapore used 

 to give a large price for the flesh of the tiger, not be- 

 cause they liked it, but because they believed that the 

 man who eats tiger's flesh will become as wise and power- 

 ful as that animal." The Dyaks of Borneo have a pre- 

 judice against the flesh of the deer, which the men may 

 not eat, though it is allowed to the women and children. 

 The reason given is that if the men were to eat venison 

 they would become as timid as deer. 



The Caribs will not eat the flesh of pigs or of tortoises, 

 lest they should get small eyes. The Dacotahs of North 

 America eat the liver of the dog that they may become 

 as wise and brave as that animal. 



The flesh of the lion has been eaten with gusto even 

 by Europeans ; for Madame Bedichon, in her work on 

 " Algeria," states that at Oran a lion was kiUed which 

 three days before had eaten a man, and the Pr^fet gave 

 a grand dinner, the principal dish being part of the lion, 

 which the French guests assembled ate with great relish. 



More recently a magnificent quarter of a lion, shot in 

 the neighbourhood of PhilippeviUe, Algeria, by M. Con- 

 stant Cheret, was sent to the Restaurant Magny, Paris, 

 and served up to a party of nineteen guests, who enjoyed 



