OPINION OF NATURALISTS. 
7 
us that, on the River Karoom, he had seen lions 
with a long black mane, goes on to say, e£ The in¬ 
habitants of the country make a distinction between 
them and the common maneless lion; the former 
are 6 kafir 5 or infidels, the others Mussulmans, By 
a proper remonstrance, and at the same time pro¬ 
nouncing the profession of faith, a true believer may 
induce the one to spare his life, but the unbelieving 
lion is inexorable.’ 5 
Though the belief of there being two or more 
kinds of lion, not only in Southern and Northern 
Africa, but in Asia, is, as shewn, pretty general, 
yet great naturalists, on the contrary, assure us 
there is only one species in the world, and that the 
difference observable amongst these animals, in 
regard to size, colour, &c., is solely attributable to the 
effects of climate, soil, food, age, or other circum¬ 
stances. “ The lion, 55 says Carpenter, the zoo¬ 
logist, “ is much more disposed to exhibit varieties 
than most of the feline family, with the exception of 
the domestic cat, 55 and he quotes many unmistak¬ 
able instances of animals originally of the same 
race, changing their habits and character by 
being removed to localities differing in physical 
condition from those pertaining to the place of 
their birth. 
But be there only one species of lion, or be there 
several, the subject is at all events deserving the 
attention of naturalists, and others who devote 
themselves to the advancement of science. 
To resume : lions, though generally distributed 
over the African continent, probably abound most 
