T6 
HABITS OF THE LION. 
In general the lion seizes the animal he is attacking by the 
flank near the hind-leg, or by the throat below the jaw. It if 
questionable whether he ever attempts to seize an animal by 
tho withers The flank is the most common point of attack, 
and that is tho part he begins to feast on first. Tho natives 
and lions are very similar in their tastes in tho selection ot 
titbits : an eland may bo seen disembowelled by a lion so 
completely that ho scarcely seems cut up at all. The 
bowels and fatty parts form a full meal for even tho largest 
lion. The jackal comes sniffing about, and sometimes 
suffers for his temerity by a stroke from the lion’s paw 
Limpopo, when a waterbuok started in front of us. I dismounted, and 
was following it through the jungle, when three buffaloes got up, ana, 
after going a little distance, stood still, and the nearest bull turned round 
and looked at me. A ball from the two-ouncer crashed into his shoulder, 
and they all three made off. Oswell and I followed as soon as I had re- 
loaded, and when we were in sight of the buffalo, and gaining on him at 
every stride, three lions leaped on the unfortunate brute ; he bellowed 
most lustily as he kept up a kind of running light, but ho was, of course, 
•oon overpowered and pulled down. We had a fine view of tho struggle, 
and saw the lions on their hind-legs tearing away with teeth and claws 
in most ferocious style. We crept up within thirty yards, and, kneeling 
down, blazed away at the lions. My rifle was a single barrel, and I had 
no spare gun. One lion fell dead almost on the buffalo ; he had merely 
time to turn toward us, seize a bush with his teeth, and drop dead with 
the stick in his jaws. The second made off immediately ; and the third 
raised his head, coolly looked round for a moment, then went on tearing 
and biting at the carcass as hard as ever. We retired a short distance 
<o load, then again advanced and fired. The lion made off, but a ball 
that he received ought to have stopped him, as it went clean through hit 
•houldcr-blade. He was followed up and killed, after having charged 
several times. Both lions were males. It is not often that one bagt a 
brace of lions and a bull-buffalo in about ten minutes. It wns an exoiting 
adventure, and I shall nevor forgot it’ 
“ Snch, my dear Livingstone, is the plain unvarnished account The 
buffalo had, of course, gone close to whore the lions wore lying down foz 
the day ; and they, seeing him lame and bleeding, thought the opportu 
nity too good a onr to be lost Ever yours. 
" Fuaxu Vaxdob 
