OEDEE OP CAENIVOEA. 359 



Thus the famous King of Abyssinia, Theodoras, whose existence 

 was terminated in 1868 in so tragical a manner, had in his palace 

 several Lions, which are intended to figure among the magnificent 

 collection of animals at the Zoological Gardens of London. 



The above facts are suiiicient to prove the power of education 

 on the king of beasts. 



In Paris and London, also at Naples and Florence, the Lion has 

 bred many times in captivity ; but it is with difficulty such cubs 

 are reared, as they suffer extremely at the period of dentition. If 

 it were not for this, there is no doubt that the Lion could be 

 successfully acclimatised. The few that have lived for a moderate 

 time in our climate have exhibited an exemplary degree of 

 docility ; indeed to such an extent have thejr submitted them- 

 selves without resistance to Man's control, that in the o^Dera of 

 Alexander and Darius, which was represented at Covent Garden 

 Theatre, London, one figured several times. 



In the Windsor menagerie, in 1824, a very remarkable cross 

 was effected between a Tigress and a Lion. From this union 

 resulted two j^oung, of a very peaceable temper, and dissimilar 

 in appearance from both parents. 



In former times Lions were nvimerous even in Europe. Accord- 

 ing to Herodotus, Aristotle, and Pausanias, they were abundant 

 in Macedonia, Thrace, and Thessaly ; but for centuries in these 

 countries thej^ have been unknown. Arabia, Syria, and Babylonia 

 used also to contain large numbers. In Arabia and on the con- 

 fines of Persia and India at the present date they are scarce. 



We may form some idea of their number in ancient times by 

 the quantity absorbed annually in the combats which were so 

 much in favour with the Romans. In a very brief interval, Sylla 

 had slaughtered a hundred Lions, Pompey six hundred, and Caesar 

 four hundred. 



In fact, in our age the leonine species is rarely met with 

 except in Africa, where every day its numbers are diminishing, 

 and from .whence it will soon completely disappear if the present 

 rate of slaughter is continued. Our grand- children probably will 

 know the Lion only from our descriptions. 



Several varieties of the Lion are distinguished. The most 

 ferocious is the Brown Lion of the Cape. In the same habitat 

 lives another, much less dangerous, the Yellow Cape Lion. After 



