92 
THE LION. 
eventually I lost sight of the troop altogether, and 
that without opportunity having offered of getting 
a favourable shot (for to fire at random would have 
been sheer madness) at any one individual of the 
party. 
The death of the lion, as will be seen here¬ 
after, is at times compassed by means of the spring- 
gun. It not unfrequently happens, however, that, 
although the piece, when examined, still remains on 
the full cock, the bait, usually an animal that he 
himself has killed, is found to have disappeared. 
This, as shown by the foot-marks, is the handiwork 
of the beast himself; for, instead of breasting the 
string or wire (the trigger, in short) in crossing the 
entrance to the little enclosure in which the decoy 
is laid, he has cautiously crept under it; and thus, 
without in any manner endangering his own person 5 
has obtained possession of the coveted prize. 
The fox of the Arctic regions, Dr. Day tells me, 
resorts to a still more ingenious plan of getting 
possession of the bait, and that with even less chance 
of harm to himself. Having scented the delicacy, 
Deynard cautiously approaches the trap, and scrapes 
a hole in the snow immediately beneath it, and of 
sufficient depth to conceal himself. This he then 
enters, and excavating upwards, until he comes to 
the plate on which the bait is placed, he pulls 
boldly at it, and after the trap has sprung harm¬ 
lessly over his head, he takes possession of the 
prize, and devours it at his leisure. 
Hereafter, when speaking of the manner in 
which the lion usually hunts his prey, I shall have 
more to say regarding the cunning of that beast. 
