KUNGL. SV. VET. AKADEMIENS HANDLINGAR. BAND 48. N:0O 5. 75 
somaliensis. If the occipital crests are not counted in, the difference in length be- 
tween the South African and the Somali skull is 32 cm. (viz. the difference between 
their condylobasal measurements). The zygomatic breadth of the South African 
is 251 mm. The difference with regard to this dimension is thus about equal to 
the difference in condylobasal length. The interorbital breadth, on the other hand, 
is in spite of other dimensions even a little smaller in the South African (71,5 mm.) 
than in the Somali Lion, but the least postorbital width is larger in the former viz. 
68 mm. The same is also the case with the width of the palatal opening at sutura 
palatopterygoidea viz. 40 mm., and the distance between the bulle in front viz. 31 
mm., although in a smaller degree in the latter case. The distance between the tips 
of the postorbital processes is 112 mm. in the South African Lion, thus larger than 
in the other, and naturally enough this is also the case with the length of p' which 
amounts to 40 mm. 
The nasals are very different in the two races, those of the South African Lion 
being much longer measuring mesially 102 mm. against 80 mm. in the Somali ani- 
mal. The greatest combined breadth of the nasals in front is resp. 71 mm. and 
59 mm. 
The length of the lower jaw from the back of the condyle to the anterior sur- 
face at the symphysis is in the South African Lion 257 mm., and in the Somali 
Lion 231 mm. | 
The former has thus more powerful jaws and in connection with this a stron- 
ger musculature which again has caused a stronger development of crests and bones 
on which these muscles are inserted. 
The Somali Lion is apparently a »Bush-Lion» and this may -account for the 
scantiness of its mane (PI. VTI fig. 1), such an ornament being decidely not useful 
for an animal living in thick bush as it must get entangled in the thorns and twigs. 
The bush does not offer such an abundance of big game as the open plains, and this 
is perhaps the explanation of the inferior size of this race. It is, however, bold 
enough to prey even on big animals if it gets an opportunity. One day when we 
were camping at Guaso Nyiri below Chanler Falls one of our native gunbearers repor- 
ted that he had found the remains of a female Giraffe which had apparently been 
killed by Lions when it came down to the river to drink. This seemed very strange 
and I went to the spot the following day. The remains consisted, however, then 
only of the skull and the picked bones left by the Hyenas and Vultures so that it 
was impossible to find out anything about how the animal had been killed. It is pos- 
sible that the Lion(s) had sprung on the Giraffe when it stooped to drink, and it may 
be possible that it was sick or had been wounded before. "The male specimen which 
I shot had a remarkably big belly and was much infested with ticks of the species 
Rhipicephalus armatus. It was nevertheless in very good condition and contained a 
great deal of fat which is highly appreciated by the natives. 
The carcase of a Rhinoceros is sure to attract the Lions, and this is known 
to some sportsmen much to the injury of the Rhinos! 
