THE LION AS VERMIN 
and the sharp, long and strong canines of that eminently 
carnivorous race. Much legend and many mis-state- 
ments have clustered round a little bit of hard and 
horny skin at the end of the lion’s tail. It has been 
said to lash itself into a fury by means of this “ nail.” 
The lion is now Asiatic and African in its habitat : 
but within the historic period it inhabited Europe as 
far west at any rate as Greece. Hercules and the 
Nemean lion, of course, hardly prove this; but there 
are more historical accounts. Even now it seems to 
occur so near to Europe as the eastern confines of Asia 
Minor, which after all is, so far as its animals are con- 
cerned, Asiatic by courtesy. The so-called maneless 
lion of Gujerat seems to be a myth in one sense; that 
is to say, there are doubtless maneless lions in Asia, but 
they are young ones. Painters and poets have largely 
caused the respect in which the lion is held as the king 
of beasts. In Africa a different view is officially held, 
and it is legally “vermin.” The roar of the lion is not 
unimpressive in the lion house, where echoes add to 
its apparent volume. The lion howls in concert like 
any nocturnal cat. Opinions seem to differ as to the 
majestic tones of this kingly caterwauling in a state of 
nature. Livingstone thought but little of the lion’s 
roar, but Mr. Selous thinks that there is no more 
magnificent sound in nature. The lion does not appear 
to be so considerate to the jackal as fable would have 
us believe. Those who know the lion and his ways 
assert that he has an unkingly love of carrion, and that 
the dead body of an elephant has more allurements 
for him than the finest herd of zebras or antelope. 
There are constantly lion cubs born at the Zoo, but it 
is an odd thing that they generally suffer from cleft 
palate, which does not, of course, conduce to their 
longevity. The young lion seems to be born with its 
eyes open, unlike the kitten. It is notorious that the 
94 
