800 
TIGER. 
there , which was brought from the river Gambia, 
that was above sixty-three. The lion, therefore, 
is a very long-lived animal ; and, very probably, 
in his native forests, his age exceeds even that 
of man himself. 
In this animal, all the passions, even of the 
most gentle kind, are in excess ; but particu- 
larly the attachment of the female to her young. 
The lioness, though naturally less strong, less cou- 
rageous, and less mischievous than the lion, be- 
comes terrible when she has got young ones to 
provide for. She then makes her incursions with 
even more intrepidity than the lion himself * she 
throws herself indiscriminately among men and 
other animals; destroys without distinction ; 
loads hersejf with the spoil, and brings it home 
reeking to her cubs, whom she accustoms be- 
times to cruelty and blood. She usually brings 
forth in the most retired and inaccessible places ; 
and, when she fears to have her retreat discovered, 
often hides her track by running back her ground, 
or by brushing it out with her tail. When at- 
tacked, she will defend her young to the last ex- 
tremity. 
Tiger. 
The ancients had a saying, *■* That as the pea- 
cock is the most beautiful among birds, so is the 
tiger among quadrupeds.” In fact, no quadru- 
ped can be more beautiful than this animal ; the 
glossy smoothness of his hair, which lies much 
smoother; and shines with greater brightness 
than even that of the leopard ; the -extreme black- 
ness of the streaks with which he is marked, 
and the bright orange yellow colour of the 
f round which they diversify, at once strike the 
eboldeiv 
