22 FANCIERS’ 
JOURNAL AND POUWUDRY "EB XAG GAH: 


THE LION AND HIS PECULIARITIES. 
THE lion is the most powerful beast of prey. Carniver- 
ous in diet and distinctive in habit, his immense strength 
enables him completely to carry out nature’s instinct. 
He belongs to the feline tribe, and like the cat is stealthy, 
quick of sight and hearing, and swift in movement. The 
form of his teeth strongly point to his carniverous habit, 
and has no flat or quending surface; his under jaw is so ar- 
ticulated as not to allow lateral or quending motion, conse- 
quently he cannot masticate like vegetable feeders, but eats 
by tearing his food like the domestic eat. 
His mode of walking indicates agility and strength; the 
weight of the body rests entirely on the toes and not on the 
surface of the foot. Nature has beautifully devised an an- 
tagonistic structure of muscles, by which the claws are ele- 
vated until desired to employ them in seizing prey. 
Another peculiarity of this tribe is the dry roughness of 
their tongue, which has often been noticed in pussey’s lick- 
ing caresses, which contrasts strongly with the smooth moist 
tongue of the dog. 
The surface of the lion’s tongue is studded with innumer- 
able conical projections, curved and pointing backward, 
rising higher from the edges towards the centre. This aids 
in stripping the particles of flesh from bones. 
A lion’s tongue in licking the naked skin of man will 
abrade the skin, and cause the blood to flow. I have some- 
where read of a gentleman who had domesticated a lion’s 
whelp, which became fond of his master, and sported like a 
kitten in his présence. One day while napping the master’s 
hand happened to hang over the side of the couch. The 
young lion began caressingly to lick the hand, his rasping 
tongue abraded the skin and caused a copious flow of 
blood. The pain excited awakened the sleeper, and he en- 
deavored to withdraw his hand; the ferocious nature of the 
lion was instantly aroused by the taste of blood, when a 
deep and menacing growl warned the master that it was un- 
safe to take his hand away, seeing that the animal had 
suddenly been transformed from an amiable pet to a fero- 
cious brute. Then the man quickly comprehended his dan- 
ger, and quietly slipped his free hand under his pillow, 
where there was a ready-loaded pistol, drew trigger, and the 
coursing bullet put an end to the creature’s existence, 
The lion formerly inhabited the three divisions of the an- 
cient world, but it now appears to be confined to Africa and 
the neighboring parts of Asia. Its uniform tawny color, the 
tufts of black hair at the extremity of its tail, the flowing 
mane which clothes the head, neck and shoulders of the 
male, are the distinguishing features from animals of the 
feline tribe. It is, however, subject to considerable varia- 
tion, chiefly as regards the quantity and length of the mane 
and hair on the parts. The lions of Guizerat are almost 
destitute of any. The African lion has the largest mane, 
and even they differ somewhat from each other. They also 
differ in physiognomy. The Asiatic lion is paler in color 
and less courageous, while the size and strength of each are 
equal. 
Various opinions are expressed by writers in reference to 
the lion’s courage and energy in conflict with the strong; 
some declaring him to be a cowardly and sneaking animal, 
attacking the weak and defenceless, while others say he is 
brave and ‘acts like a lion.”? Circumstances undoubtedly 
would render the same creature at times ferocious, and at 
other times cowardly. 

Hunger seems to stimulate his energy, fierceness and de- 
fiance of danger. When well supplied with food he seldom 
attacks man; and, while capable of great muscular effort, can 
by a single blow capture and fell an ox or a buffalo, yet 
when his necessities for food have passed, he seems overcome 
with lethargy, seeks his lair, and yields himself to quiet and 
repose like the domestic cat. As a foe he is not open, not 
even swift of foot; he prefers to steal cat-like upon his prey, - 
and with a tremendous leap to strike and crush his victim. 
In approaching his prey, great caution is exhibited by screen- 
ing himself from sight by keeping every bush between him, 
always taking advantage of the underwood side to conceal 
his pungent odor for fear of giving alarm. 
The reverberating thundering roar of the lion is also used 
to secure prey. He places his mouth close to the earth, and 
his terrified voice rolls along the earth, frightening every 
animal within its sound, causing them to fly precipitately, 
not knowing from whence it came. Some pass within his 
reach, who fall an easy prey to his prodigious leaps and 
powerful paws. 
It is said that when man has been bitten by a lion, that 
he suffers from the effect of the injury long after it has 
apparently healed, and that yearly there is an outbreak of 
the wound. The same peculiarity the writer has observed 
from the bite of a serpent, which is due to the lodgment of 
some poison in the system. 
Caution is wonderfully developed in the creature, and he 
has an irrepressible fear of a trap. Instances are recorded 
when he has been deterred from attacking a loose horse, 
from the fact that the bridle reins were dangling from the 
neck. This fact being known to hunters, they avail them- 
selves of the strategy, by placing over slaughtered game a 
handkerchief, or shreds of cloth hanging from a pole, to pro- 
tect it from being devoured by the lion. 
In Mexico and portions of Texas adjacent to Mexico, there 
exists an animal called the Mexican lion. 
In General Sidney Johnson’s life-time, and before the late 
war, he owned a plantation about or near Houston, on Buffalo 
Bayou ; upon it he kept a young Mexican lion, presented to 
him by some friends. It seemed thoroughly tame and do- 
mesticated, and used to follow him in his rambles about his 
plantation like a dog. It was really « favorite, and inhabi- 
ted the domicil as a part of the household. One day the 
General gave a dinner, and when his invited guests had as- 
sembled about the festive board, General Johnson noticed 
his pet sitting behind him waiting for his turn, when he 
carved a bit of roast, which happened to be underdone, and 
handed it to him. The smell of blood caused the lion to 
catch the General’s hand, and when he coolly commanded, 
‘“‘ Let go Dan, let go Dan!” he lashed his tail and growled. 
A portion of the guests fled; ladies fainted; but the resolute 
master, with wonderful coolness, drew his six shooter, shot 
him through the head, and the tame lion paid the death 
penalty for his rashness. 
General Johnson never recovered fully the use of the 
maimed member, and it constantly reminded him of the 
folly of domesticating so ferocious and savage a creature. 
JAMES SS. Bartery, M.D. 

sem 

Now put your bait on the treacherous hook, and cast it in 
the shady brook, for when the sunfish sees it squirm, he’ll 
surely go for that angle worm. 
