LION. 
359 
carefully measured the naked carcase of the largest lion. From the top of the 
front teeth to the end of the tail it measured 9 feet 7 inches, laying the tape along 
the curves of the body, and as all the gristle and meat of the nose had been cut 
away with the skin, and at least an inch must have been lost with the tuft at the 
end of the tail, I think it would have measured all but 10 feet before it was 
skinned, even without making any allowance for the mane.” Although Cornwallis 
Harris gave 10 feet 6 inches as the length of a large lion, Mr. Selous’ estimate may 
be provisionally taken as representing the full size of the African type. Females 
are generally about 1 foot shorter than males. There is a dearth of information as 
to the height of a full-grown lion at the shoulder; but Mr. Blanford tells us that 
one measuring 8 feet inches in length, had a height of 3 feet 6 inches. A fine 
menagerie lion recently measured had a total length of 10 feet, of which the tail 
occupied 3 feet 2 inches. 
Still more imperfect is the information relating to the weight of lions. Mr. 
Selous states that an African lion in poor condition shot in 1877 weighed 376 lbs.; 
but a fine, well-nourished example killed later on weighed 500 lbs. This weight 
is, however, exceeded by a male shot in the Orange Free State in 1865, which 
on good evidence is reported to have weighed over 583 lbs. The menagerie 
specimen, of which the dimensions are given above, weighed 434 lbs. Sir Samuel 
Baker is of opinion that a lion would weigh more than a tiger of the same 
approximate dimensions; but against this may be set the opinion of Mr. Blanford, 
who considers that a tiger, although standing lower than a lion, is heavier in the 
body and more powerful. 
Before entering upon the consideration of the geographical distribution and 
habits of the lion, it may be well to point out how the skull of a lion may be 
readily distinguished from that of a tiger. In a lion’s skull the so-called nasal 
bones, or those forming the roof of the cavity of the nose, have their superior 
termination on the forehead situated in the same transverse line as the terminations 
of the upper jawbones or maxillte. In the skull of a tiger, 
on the other hand, the upper extremities of the nasal bones 
extend considerably higher up on the forehead than do those 
of the upper jawbones. The skull of a lion may also be dis¬ 
tinguished from that of a tiger by the much smaller size of 
the tubercle on the inner side of the upper flesh-tooth. Thus, 
whereas in the tiger this tubercle is but little smaller than in 
the corresponding tooth of the hyaena, figured on p. 353, in the 
lion it more nearly approaches the condition obtaining in the 
tooth of an extinct cat, represented in the accompanying figure, 
although it extends nearer to the front edge of the tooth. 
The skull of an adult male lion may measure as much as 13 
inches in extreme length, with a breadth across the widest 
part of the cheek-bones of 9^- inches. 
The present range of the lion includes the whole con¬ 
tinent of Africa, from the Cape Colony to Abyssinia and 
Algeria, although in many of the more civilised districts the animal is now greatly 
reduced in numbers, or even completely exterminated. In Asia it is found through 
THE LEFT UPPER FLESH- 
TOOTH ( p ) AND MOLAR 
(to) OF AN EXTINCT 
SABRE-TOOTHED TIGER. 
The projection on the 
side of the lower part of 
the figure is the inner 
tubercle of the flesh-tooth. 
