THE LION. 
91 
their claws about the muzzle. They de- 
l^larea, however, that the lion endangered his 
in such an attempt, especially if any other 
^'iffalo was near to assist his companion. It 
related that a traveller once had an op- 
i''^*'tunity of seeing a female buffiilo with her 
^^if) covered in the rear by a river, keep at 
for a long time five lions which surrounded 
and durst not, so long as the traveller 
'^as in sight, venture upon an attack. 
"The lion of South Africa is said to prefer the 
of the Hottentot to that of any other ani- 
; and next to this he manifests the greatest 
l^ndness for the flesh of the horse and the 
'iffalo. The sheep he seldom deigns to prey 
being probably too indolent to take the 
^^ouhle of stripping off its woolly covering. 
^ commonly believed that he will devour 
’^uch at once as will serve him for two or 
H'ree clays ; and that, when glutted with food, 
® tetui-ns to his den, where he remains in- 
