lion, v S95 
merely for themselves, and he is an unwelcome 
intruder upon the fruits of their toil. 
The lion, when hungry, boldly attacks all 
animals that come in his way ; but, as he is very 
formidable, as they all seek to avoid him, he is 
often obliged to hide, in order to take them by 
mrprise. For this purpose he crouches on his 
belly, in some thicket, or among the long grass, 
w hich is found in many parts of the forest ; in 
this retreat he continues, with patient expecta- 
tion, until his prey comes within a proper distance, 
and he then springs after it, fifteen or twenty feet 
from him, and often seizes it at the first bound. 
If he misses the effort, and in two or three reite- 
rated springs cannot seize his prey, he continues 
motionless for a time, seems to be very sensible of 
his disappointment, and waits for a more success- 
ful opportunity. In the deserts and forests, his most 
usual prey are the gazelles and the monkeys, 
with which the torrid regions abound. The latter 
he takes when they happen to be upon the ground, 
for he cannot climb trees like the cat or the tiger. 
He devours a great deal at a time, and generally 
fills himself for two or three days to come, pit 
teeth are so strong that he very easily breaks the 
bones, and swallows them with the rest of the 
body. It is reported that he sustains hunger a 
very long time, but thrist he cannot support in an 
equal degree, his temperament being extremely 
hot ; some have even asserted that he is in a con- 
tinual fever. He drinks as often as he meets with 
water, lapping it like a cat : which, as we know, 
drinks but slowly. He generally requires about 
fifteen pounds of raw flesh in a day ; he prefers 
that of live animals, and particularly those which 
he has just killed. He seldom devours the bodies 
of animals when they begin to putrefy ; and he 
chooses rather to hunt foj a fresh spoil, than to 
