392 



ANIMAL MECHANICS. 



Lion and Lioness, it is easy, from the weights of muscles 

 given in the Tables, to calculate the following : — 



Comparative Strength of Tiger and Lion. 



Tiger. 



Lion. 



Lioness. 



Hip joint, j 100 

 Shoulder joint, . . . i 100 



65 90 

 6 9-93 



52 11 

 51.55 



From this Table it appears that the strength of the Lion is 

 about two-thirds of that of the Tiger, and that the strength 

 of the Lioness is about one-half that of the Tiger. From the 

 greater development of the fore-quarter of the Lion, as com- 

 pared with that of the Lioness, we find that the shoulder 

 muscles of the Lion bear a somewhat greater proportion to 

 those of the Tiger, than the hip muscles do ; while in the 

 Lioness the proportions of the muscles of the shoulder and 

 hip continue to have the same relation to the corresponding 

 muscles of the Tiger. 



In the time of the Emperor Titus, Tigers and Lions were 

 forced to fight in the Amphitheatre at Rome, and it is 

 recorded by Martial that the Tiger was able to kill the Lion, 

 a fact which has been confirmed by accidental contests be- 

 tween these animals occurring in modern menageries. 



" Lambere securi dextram consueta magistri 



Tigris ab Hyrcano gloria rara jugo 

 Sseva ferum rabida laceravit dente leonem : 



Res nova, non ullis cognita temporibus. 

 Ausa est tale nihil, sylvis dum vixit in altis, 



Postquam inter nos est, plus feritatis habet."* 



* Martial. Be Spectaculis Up. X. 



