336 NATURAL HISTORY READER. 



gent's Park Zoological Gardens we watched with no little 

 amusement the antics of a dog, who was evidently quite 

 at home in a cage occupied by a tiger and tigress. The 

 noble pair of beasts were reclining side by side, the tiger's 

 tail hanging over the side of their conch. The dog, un- 

 able to resist the temptation, laid hold of it with his teeth 

 and pulled with a will ; and, spite of sundry gentle re- 

 monstrances on the part of the owner of the tail, persisted 

 until he elicited a very deep growl of disapproval. Then 

 he let go, sprang upon the tiger's back, curled himself up, 



and went Oif to sleep. diambm's Journal 



THE LION AND THE SPANIEL. 



1. In the afternoon our company went again to the 

 Tower, to see as well as to hear the recent story of the 

 great lion and the little dog. They found the place 

 thronged, and all were obliged to pay treble prices, on ac- 

 count of the unprecedented novelty of the show ; so that 

 the keeper, in a short space, acquired a little fortune. 



2. The great cage in the front was occupied by a beast 

 who, by way of pre-eminence, was called the king's lion ; 

 and, while he traversed the limits of his straitened domin- 

 ions, he was attended by a small and very beautiful black 

 spaniel, who frisked and gamboled about him, and at times 

 would pretend to snarl and bite at him ; and again the 

 noble animal, with an air of fond complaisance, would hold 

 down his head, while the little creature licked his formida- 

 ble chaps. Their history, as the keeper related, was this : 



3. It was customary for all, who were unable or un- 

 willing to pay their sixpence, to bring a dog or cat as an 

 oblation to the beast in lieu of money to the keeper. 

 Among others, a fellow had caught up this pretty black 



