rounded with a dreadful mane; all thofe mufcles 
which are hid under thefldn fwellingwiththeTlight- 
eft exertions ; and the great breadth of his paws, 
with the thicknefs of his limbs ; plainly evince, that 
no animal of the foreft is capable of oppofing him. 
To the fplendid qualities pofleiTed by this crea- 
ture as an individual, may be added the nobility 
of his fpecies ; by which is meant, a nature con- 
ftant, invariable, and liable to no fufpicion of de- 
gradation. Animals of this kind are commonly 
lingular, and conftitute a genus of themfelves. 
They are diiiinguifhed by chara£lers fo deeply 
marked, that they can neither be miftaken nor 
confounded with any other. Thus, in man, the 
nobleft being in the creation, the fpecies is fingle; 
fince men of all races, of all climates, and of all 
complexions, can mix and propagate together; 
and, at the fiime time, no animal can be laid to 
approximate the human fpecies by natural relation. 
The fpecies of the Lion alfo is one of the moll 
noble, becaufe it is fingle, and cannot be con- 
founded with thofe of inferior animals: while in 
many other genera no difcriminating characters 
can be drawn; they engender with lower varieties, 
and produce a breed more unworthy, in propor- 
tion as it is more mixed, 
Ariftotle diftino-uifhcs Lions into the o-reater 
o o 
and the fmaller; the latter, he obferves, are pro- 
portionably fhorter in the body, their hair is more 
crifped, and they are lefs courageous than the 
former: he likewife adds that, in general, all 
Lions are of a yellow colour. The firft of thefe 
remarks, however, feems doubtful; for no travel- 
lers mention Lions v/ith crifped hairj but almofl; 
all authors agree as to their colour, which is yel- 
low on the back, and whitifh on the fides and belly. 
^1 nd Oppian afHrm, that the Lions of Ethio- 
pia are as fable as the natives; that in India there 
are Lions entirely v/hite, and others variegated 
with red, black, and blue. But thefe afiertions 
appear to be unfupported by any authentic evi- 
dence: and, on the contrary, it appears that there 
are little or no varieties in this fpecies; that the 
Lions of Africa and Afia are perfectly fimilar; 
and that thofe of the mountains differ from thofe 
of the plains in ftature rather than colour. 
But it fhould here be obferved, that the Ame- 
rican animal called a Lion by the Europeans, and 
Puma by the natives of Peru, is deftitute of feve- 
ral of the diftinguifhing characters of the true 
Lion: it has no mane; and it is weaker, fmaller, 
and lefs courageous. However, it is not altoge- 
ther improbable that the mildnefs of the South 
American climate may have had fuch an influence 
on the nature of the Lion, as to deprive him of 
his mane, and diminifh both his courage and his 
ftature: but it feems abfolutely incredible, that 
this animal, who inhabits the countries within the 
tropics only, and againft whom nature appears to 
have fhut up every avenue to the north, fliould 
have paffed from the fouthern regions of Afia or 
Africa into America; thefe continents, towards the 
fouth, being feparated from each other by immenfe 
oceans. Hence vv^e may rationally conclude, that 
the Puma is not a Lion, fprung from thofe of the 
Old World, and degenerated by the influence of 
the climate ; but that it is an animal peculiar to 
America, like moft others of the New World. 
Wnien the Europeans firft difcovered America, 
the quadrupeds, birds, filhes, infe6ls, plants, and 
almoft' every obje6t of natural hiftory, were diffe- 
rent faom thofe to v/hich they had been acciif- 
tomed: it was therefore neceflfary to give names to 
the principal objefts this new world prdcnted. 
Thofe given them by the natives were barbarous, 
and extremely difficult either to be pronounced or 
remembered: the names of animals were of courfe 
borrowed from thofe of the European languages, 
and efpecially from the Spanifn and Portuguefe. 
In this fcarcity of denomination, the moft diftant 
analogy in external figure or ftature was fufficient 
to determine the name of an animal. This necef- 
farily gave rife to endlefs uncertainties and confu- 
fion; which were ftill farther increafed, nor only 
by giving to the produ6lions of the new world the* 
denominations of thofe of the old, but alfo by the 
continual tranfportation of European plants and 
animals into America, To obviate thefe difficul- 
ties, we ftiould carefully diftinguifh what origi- 
nally belonged to the relpeclive continents, in or- 
der to avoid the deceptions arifing from improper 
appellations. 
Condamine, whofe evidence unqueftionably me- 
rits the higheft credit, exprefsly fays, that he knows 
not whether the American animal, called a Lion 
by the Spaniards, and Puma by the natives of 
Quito, deferves the name of a Lion; and adds, 
that it is much fmaller than the African Lion, and 
that the male is deftitute of a mane. Frefier like- 
wife informs us, that the animal called a Lion in 
Peru is very different from that of Africa; that it 
flies on the approach of man; and is dreadful only 
to the flocks and herds. He farther remarlcs, that 
it's head fomewhat refeinbles both the head of the 
wolf and the tiger; and that it's tail is fhorter than 
that of either of thofe animals. We learn alio 
from the relations of Acofta, that the American 
T j'ons have no refemblanre to thofe of Africa; that 
they have neither the ftature nor the intrepidity of 
the true Lions; that they are neither red nor yel- 
low, but of a grey colour; that they have no 
manes J and that they are accuftomed to climb 
trees. Thus it is evident, that thefe animals dif- 
fer from the genuine Lions in ftature, in colour, 
in the form of their heads, in the length of their 
tails, in the want of manes, and in their manners 
and difpofitions. Chara6lers fo numerous and fo 
effential ought everto prevent us from confounding 
the Puma of Africa with the noble Lion of Africa 
and Afia. 
It has been alledged, that the Lion is not pof- 
feffed of the fenfe of fmelling in fuch perfeftion as 
mioft other animals; and it has alfo been obferved, 
that a ftrong light greatly incommodes him. This 
latter rem.ark may be juftly inferred from the for- 
mation of his eyes, which, like thofe of the cat, 
feem beft adapted for vifion in the dark: for this 
reafon, he feldom appears in open day, but ravages 
chiefly by night; and not only the Lion, but al! 
the cat kind, are kept off by the fires which the in - 
habitants kindlfe for the prefervation of their flocks 
and herds : the brightnefs of the flame dazzles their 
eyes ; and they are afraid to venture blindly into 
thofe places Vv'hich they know are replete with their 
enemies. It is equally true of all this kind, that 
they hunt rather by the fight than the fmeil; and 
it fometimes happens that the Lion purfues either 
the jackall or wild dog while they are hunting on 
the fcent; and, when they have run down their 
prey, he comes in, and monopolizes the fpoil j 
and from hence, probably, may have arifen the 
ftory of the Lion's provider, Thefe little induf- 
trious animals may often provide a feaft for the 
Lion: but they hunt merely for themfelves; and 
confequenrly 
