SAID TO EAT HIS MATE. 
23 
to a spot where one, if not two lions, probably 
taking advantage of his crippled condition, had 
evidently attacked him, and, after a desperate 
scuffle, had been compelled to beat a precipitate 
retreat. In this case, however, the wounded animal 
would appear to have been aided by a companion, 
who had evidently only left him when he could 
walk no further. This is the sole instance that has 
come to my knowledge of the lion having the daring 
to attack the rhinoceros, though I have seen it 
stated in print that he not only frequently assails, 
but even masters that horned monster. 
Once in a time, moreover, the lion kills and eats 
his brother lion. On only a single occasion, how¬ 
ever, has an instance of the kind come to my know¬ 
ledge. This was when I was on my way to the 
Lake Ngami. On a certain night we had badly 
wounded a lion, which retreated growling into the 
bush, and shortly afterwards a whole troop of lions 
rushed on their disabled brother, and tore him to 
pieces. 
And once in a time the lion makes a meal of his 
mate, an instance of which came under my personal 
notice ; it occurred thus :— 
Early one morning a herdsman of ours came run¬ 
ning up to us in great fright, and announced “ that 
a lion was devouring a lioness.” We thought at first 
that the man must be mistaken, but on proceeding 
to the spot found his story to be perfectly true, and 
that only the skull, the large bones, and the skin 
of the animal were left. On examining the ground 
more closely, the fresh remains of a young spring- 
