The LION,
Being univerſally eſteemed king of the foreſt, deſerves a pre-eminence of ſtation: we therefore introduce him firſt to notice. The Lion is claſſed by the Naturaliſts in the Cat Tribe; ’tis an animal, of all others the most majeſtic and ſtately; with a large head, the upper part of which, with the chin, the whole of the neck and ſhoulders, are clothed with a long ſhaggy hair, reſembling a mane; the hair of the body and limbs is ſhort and ſmooth, but long on the bottom part of the belly; a long tail, which appears of equal thickneſs by reaſon of the increaſing length of hair towards the end, where it terminates in a large black tuft: the colour is tawny, or dirty brown; the belly part inclines to white. The limbs of this animal are of vaſt ſtrength, and need only be ſeen to convince of their force. The country where they moſt abound is Africa, the moſt wild and deſert parts: they alſo are found in parts of Aſia, but the former appears moſt congenial to the Lion’s conſtitution, thoſe of that country being much larger (having been known 5 feet high, and 10 feet long), and more fierce than of any other place; the fiery rays of a torrid climate imparting a feveriſh heat, which animates them with an invincible courage. The ſmell of the Lion is not ſo perfect as in many other animals, but his method of roaring ſupplies this defect; for, according to all report, when he roars, he puts his mouth to the ground, thus the ſound is univerſally diffuſed, and not coming ſtronger from one place than another, the terrified animals, in their haſte to eſcape, frequently run to the very ſpot they mean moſt to avoid; which, by a kind of bounding, he quickly ſecures, ſtriking it with great force with his paw: he ſometimes invades the flocks, and, with eaſe, will carry off a tolerable ſized ox; he frequently lies couchant, as expreſſed by Shakeſpeare, “with cat-like watch,” and ſprings upon his prey by ſurpriſe; which if he chances to miſs, in a kind of ſhamefacedmanner, he meaſures back the diſtance, ſtep by ſtep, as if to ſee in which he erred;—too much or too little. This animal will ſuſtain hunger for many days, but requires a more frequent ſupply of drink, which it laps like a cat, and at every opportunity.—Mr. Buffon obſerves the courage of the Lion diminiſhes in proportion as his abode approaches to an inhabited country; his conſciouſneſs of man’s ſuperiority and enmity, awakens him to fear and caution; and the ſtately Lion, the deſpoiler of thouſands, is frequently levelled with the duſt by their addreſs:—Three or four men uſually go to the attack on horſeback; theſe if the Lion diſcovers at a diſtance, he takes to his heels as fast as he can; if at a ſmall diſtance only, he then walks off, but in a ſlow and ſurly manner, without hurry, as if above ſhewing fear; as the hunters approach, he ſlackens his pace, eying his purſuers aſkant; finally making a full ſtop, he turns round to face them, gives himſelf a ſhake, and roars with a ſhort ſharp tone—this is now the time for the attack; he who is moſt advantageouſly ſituated fires his gun, and gallops off; the Lion immediately purſuing, another then fires, and by thus relieving each other, and repeating their ſhot, they rarely fail to reduce the tyrant of the foreſt. He is ſometimes taken in pitfalls, but more generally when a cub, during the abſence of the dam:—they may be rendered tame and docile, though, at times, ſubject to reſume their native fierceneſs: their generality and mercy is not leſs conſpicuous than their courage; Pliny reports that “they ſpare the proſtrate, and, when hungry, ſeize firſt on men rather than women, and never on infants, unleſs preſſed by great hunger.”
We ſhall cloſe this account by referring to two remarkable inſtances of the memory and generoſity of this noble animal which are recorded in the Guardian, No. 139, and No. 146.
