252 VERTEBRATA. 
LIONESS AND DOG. — (See p. 248.) 
blood. In the summer season, wlien the days are "long, he goes ont at the setting of the snn, and 
crouches by some fi-equented path, where ' the tinkling caravan descends the mountain road,' or 
watches for a traveler with his horse, or some belated herdsman. 
" The tawny lion and the gray lion do not differ from each other, except in the color of the 
mane, and are a little larger than the black lion, and not so short. With the exception of the 
differences we have just shown, all the three species have the same character and habits. The 
life of this animal may be divided into two distinct eras, in Avhich he seems to be, after a manner, 
an entirely diflferent being, which difference has given rise to a thousand errors respecting him; 
these tAvo eras are the day and night. In the day-time, he is accustomed to retire into the depths 
of the woods, at a distance from all noise, to sleep and digest his meals at his leisure. In the 
night, he roams abroad, the king of the universe. It has been said that the Mon will not attack a 
man, because perchance a man has found himself face to face with one that the flies or the sun 
has obliged to change his lair, or that has come down to the water to drink, and yet escaped with 
impunity, without remembering that the drowsy epicure was half asleep, and sated with food. 
He does not kill for the pleasure of killing, but to satisfy his hunger, or to defend himself when 
attacked. In a country like Algiers, literally covered with herds, he is never fasting, except 
during the day, while sleeping ; and the natives, knowing this, take care to stay at home when 
he quits his lair, or, if they are obliged to travel at night, they never go on foot or alone. As to 
myself„ I Avill say that if I have noticed an indifferent expression on the countenance of several 
lions whom I have met abroad early in the evening, I never saw those that I met at night exhibit 
other than the most hostile disposition • I am so sure that a single man is inevitably lost if he 
meets with such an encounter, that when I am bivouacking in the mountain, I never leave my 
tent after sunset for an instant, except with my carbine in ray hand." 
The roaring of the lion is described by most travelers as exceedingly grand and often terrific. 
It is a curious fact that these creatures become most active in tempestuous weather ; at night, in 
the midst of the terrific thunder-storms that take place in tropical Africa, the roarings of the lion 
seem actually to challenge the thunder and the lightning. At such times, several of them will 
often roar in concert, thus adding a feature of terrific grandeur to the awful anthems of nature. 
