2 A DESCRIPTION OF 
strength. Zoologists, however, describe the Lion as an 
animal of the cat kind, distinguished from the other spe- 
cies of the genus by its uniform colour, the mane which 
decorates the male, and a tuft of hair at the tip of the 
tail. 
Lions were formerly found in every part of the old 
world ; but they are now confined to Afiica, and some 
parts of Asia. The African Lion stands four or five feet 
high, and his body is from seven to nine feet long. The 
mane is generally thick, and somewhat curly ; and the 
colour varies in different parts of Africa, but it is gene- 
rally of a clear dark brown, deepening in some cases almost 
into black. The Asiatic Lions are all much smaller than 
those of Africa, and their colour is generally paler. The 
Bengal Lion is of a light brown, with a long flowing mane; 
the Persian Lion is of a sort of cream-colour, with a 
short thick mane; and the Lion of Guzzerat is of a reddish 
brown, without any mane. 
All the varieties of Lions agree in their habits ; they lie 
hid in jungles in the long grass, but when roused they either 
walk quietly and majestically away, or turn and look stea- 
dily at their pursuers. The roar of the Lion is terrific ; and 
in a wild state, the animal generally roars with his mouth 
close to the ground, which produces a low rumbling noise, 
like that of an earthquake. The effect of the Lion's roar is 
described by those who have heard it, as making the 
stoutest heart quail ; and the feebler animals, when they 
hear it, fly in dismay, often in their terror falling in the 
way of their enemy, instead of avoiding him. Serpents, 
and some of the largest animals will, however, fight with 
Lions, and occasionally kill them ; and Lions, in their con- 
tests with men, are sometimes hunted by dogs, but 
are oftener shot, or speared. Those Lions which are 
exhibited in menageries have generally been caught in 
pits. The pit is dug where traces have been discovered of 
a Lion's path ; and it is covered with sticks and turf. 
