ORDER OE CARNIVORA. 
343 
nature, and habits,, according to the country which they inhabit. 
The evidence of various travellers puts it beyond all doubt that 
the Lion of South Africa differs essentially from the Lion of 
Barbary. 
This remark will be sufficient to explain the numerous con- 
tradictions which, even up to the present day, have thrown some 
obscurity round the various accounts of this animal, if looked upon 
as a single type. These contradictions, however, exist only in 
appearance, because they merely depend on the confusion in the 
varieties of the leonine species, and spontaneously fall to the 
ground as soon as this confusion ceases. There are, nevertheless, 
certain characteristics which are possessed in common by all the 
Lions, viz., a general physiognomy. 
As a rule, the Lion does not hunt during the day ; not 
that his eyes are unfitted for diurnal vision, but indolence and 
prudence keep him at home till evening. When the first 
shadows of twilight appear, he enters upon his campaign. If 
there is a pool in the vicinity of his haunt, he places himself 
in ambush on the edge of it, with the hope of securing a victim 
among the Antelopes, Gazelles, Giraffes, Zebras, Buffaloes, &c., 
which are led thither to slake their thirst. These animals, well 
aware of this habit of their enemy,, will not approach a pond 
without extreme caution. If one, however, places itself within 
reach of their terrible foe, its fate is generally sealed. One 
enormous bound enables the Lion to spring on its back, and 
one blow with his paw breaks its back. If the Lion misses 
his aim, he does not endeavour to continue a useless pursuit, 
well knowing that he cannot compete in speed with the chil- 
dren of the plains. He therefore skulks back into his hiding- 
place, to lie in ambush until some more fortunate chance presents 
itself, or complete nightfall shuts out all hope of success. 
The Lion, however, is not disposed to remain long with an 
empty stomach. Then it is that he approaches Man’s habitations, 
with the hope of surprising the domestic animals. Fences ten 
feet in height form no obstacle to him, for he will bound over 
such with ease, when, falling into the midst of the herd, he 
seizes the nearest. 
The amount of strength which he manifests under circum- 
stances similar to these is really extraordinary. A Lion has been 
