CHAPTER XXXV. 



Mammalia {Quadrupeds), 

 Continued, 



A year or two ago, the great " lion" in the Zoological 

 Gardens, which all London was running to see, was an 

 uncouth, lanky, low- limbed creature, with extraordinary 

 longitude of snout, and as conspicuous bushiness of tail. 

 An ample apartment, duly indexed and labelled, as became 

 the rarity of the tenant, was assigned to it, so that it could 

 not only be well seen, but thoroughly examined. Its 

 colours, sober brown and silvery gray, and its fine collar 

 of black velvet edged with white, redeemed its odd figure 

 from the character of vulgarity; but the manner in which 

 it walked was something quite original. Its fore-legs were 

 short, but very stout and muscular, and terminated in 

 enormous claws, which were habitually bent in under the 

 feet, so that the animal rested on their outer surfaces, 

 pretty much in the same fashion (if we may use a homely 

 simile familiar to Londoners) as your maid-of-all-work 

 supports herself on her left knuckles when she cleans the 

 door-steps. 



This was the Great Ant-bear (Myrmecophaga jubata), 

 from South America, a harmless creature, notwithstanding 



