33G 
LIFE, IN ITS HIGHER FORMS. 
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 iudexed 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 aud 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 ( Myrmtcophaga jubata), 
from South America, a harmless creature, notwithstanding 
