158 LIONS AND BUFFALOES. 



stumps, and his claws worn quite Hunt ; the other was full grown, 

 in the prime of life, with white, perfect teeth ; both were entirely 

 destitute of mane. The lions in the country near the lake give 

 tongue less than those further south. We scarcely ever heard 

 them roar at all. 



The lion has other checks on inordinate increase besides man. 

 He seldom attacks full-grown animals ; but frequently, when a 

 buffalo calf is caught by him, the cow rushes to the rescue, and a 

 toss from her often kills him. One we found was killed thus ; 

 and on the Leeambye another, which died near Sesheke, had all 

 the appearance of having received his death-blow from a buffalo. 

 It is questionable if a single lion ever attacks a full-grown buffalo. 

 The amount of roaring heard at night, on occasions when a buffalo 

 is killed, seems to indicate there are always more than one lion 

 engaged in the onslaught. 



On the plain, south of Sebituane's ford, a herd of buffaloes 

 kept a number of lions from their young by the males turning 

 their heads to the enemy. The young and the cows were in the 

 rear. One toss from a bull would kill the strongest lion that 

 ever breathed. I have been informed that in one part of India 

 even the tame buffaloes feel their superiority to some wild ani- 

 mals, for they have been seen to chase a tiger up the hills, bel- 

 lowing as if they enjoyed the sport. Lions never go near any 

 elephants except the calves, which, when young, are sometimes 

 torn by them ; every living thing retires before the lordly ele- 

 phant, yet a full-grown one would be an easier prey than the 

 rhinoceros ; the lion rushes off at the mere sight of this latter 

 beast. 



In the country adjacent to Mashue great numbers of different 

 kinds of mice exist. The ground is often so undermined with 

 their burrows that the foot sinks in at every step. Little hay- 

 cocks, about two feet high, and rather more than that in breadth, 

 are made by one variety of these little creatures. The same 

 thing is done in regions annually covered with snow for obvious 

 purposes, but it is difficult here to divine the reason of the hay- 

 making in the climate of Africa.* 



* Euryotis unisulcatus (F. Cuvier), Mus pumelio (Spar.), and Mus lehocla (Smith), 

 all possess this habit in a greater or less degree. The first-named may he seen 

 escaping danger with its young hanging to the after-part of its body. 



