74 



POPULAR OFFICIAL GUIDE. 



BARBARY LION. 



the survival of the fittest, and both by inheritance and 

 observation he knows that a lion who needlessly exposes 

 himself in the field captures the smallest amount of game, 

 and attracts the greatest number of steel-tipped bullets. 



Although Lions vary greatly in their color, and in the 

 length of the mane, it is conceded by naturalists that only 

 one species exists. In the same district and under precisely 

 similar conditions are found short-maned and long-maned 

 individuals, and all shades of color from tawny yellow to 

 dark brown. The present geographic range of the species 

 is from Southern Rhodesia to Persia and northwestern 

 India, but in northern Egypt there is a large extent of 

 territory which is lionless. 



By reason of his heavy mane and massive countenance, 

 supported by the grandest roar that issues from throat of 

 beast, the Lion appears to be a larger animal than he really 

 is. It is yet an unsettled question whether it exceeds the 

 tiger in length, height or weight, and it is certainly true 

 that in j)oint of size these two species are very evenly 

 matched. 



In captivity, the Lion is reasonably contented, and under 

 good conditions breeds readily, and lives a goodly number 

 of years. 



The Siberian Tiger. — Strange to say, the tiger ranges 

 far to the northward of its proper home in Hindustan, even 

 to Corea, Manchuria and Russian Siberia. In those cold 



