2: 
NATURAL HISTORY. o 
oe ha 
Although poffeffed of all thefe fierce, and UE 
gualities, they are naturally too timid to attack any 
animal poffefled of more {trength and courage. than 
themfelves. When they meet with an animal of equal 
force, they always retreat, and decline coming to a 
contett. 
LION. 
V \ HAT diftingnithes this animal’s appearance from 
others, is chiefly his head, neck, chin and fhoulders, 
being covered with long, fhaggy hair, likea mane. It 
has very {trong limbs, and a long tail, with a tuft of 
hair atthe end. The colour is tawny, except on the 
belly where it inclines to white. The length of the 
Jargeft lion, from the nofe to the tail, is about eight 
feet. The lionefs is lefs, and has no mane. 
Climate little affects this noble animal. He fubfifts 
as well under the frigid pole, as beneath the torrid 
zone ; while moft other animals’are adapted to live 
only in particular latitudes. 
he lion abounds chiefly in the torrid zone, where 
they are the largeft, and moft tremendous. The burn- 
ing fun, and arid foil. feem to inflame their nature to 
the greateft height of favage ferocity. In the colder 
regions, fuch as Mount Atlas, they are much inferior, 
both in fize. ftrength and fpirit. ‘The torrid zone, af- 
fording but few rivers or fountains, caufes him to live 
in a perpetual fever, which excites a fort of madnefs, 
atal to every animal he meets. Itis happy, therefore, 
that this ferocious creature, as travellers in general 
_-rejate, are daily declining in number. But, perhaps, 
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Gar a 
_ were they to’be entirely extirpated, other animals, on — 
which they prey, might grow too numerous for the 
fafety and welfare of the inhabitants of thofe dreadful 
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