The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1850-08-31
Tropg Cmmipgt "Hmiri's Liit ~ Smh AJ,i,a,"
NATURAL HISTORY.
HABITS OF LIONS,

One of the most striking things connect |
cd with the lion /, his voice, (which u extreme
Is grand aud peculiarly striking. Il consists
ut times of low deep moaning, repeated FIVE
or six times, ending in family audible sighs;
NJ other times he startlcs the forest with loud,
dccp-toncd, solemn rolrs, repeated five or six
times in puick Succession, increasing In loud
ners to the third or fourth, when his oirc
dies away in Eve or six low muillcd sounds,
very much resembling distant thunder Al
times, aud not unfrcqucntly, troop may be
heard roaring in concert, one assuming the
lead and two, three, or four moro regularly
taking up their parts likh persona singing n
? Catch. Like our Scottish suIgs0t The Iutting1
season, they roar loudcsl in cold frosty nights
but on no oceasousc are their voices 10 bc
heard in such perfection, or 70 intensely pow
crful, as when two or three strange troops Of
lions approach fountain TO drink nj tho same
timo, When this occurs all r"Nr together,
and each seems 90 vie with his comrades in
the intensity and power of his voice The
power aud grandeur of these nocturnal for
cst concerts Is inconcciyably striking and
pleasing to tile hunters ear. The effect IL
greatly enhanced when the nearer happens
TO bc situated in the depths Of the forest, at
the hour of midnight, unac ccmpanicd by any
attendant, and cnsconccd within twenty yards
Of the fountain which the surrounding troops
of lions are approaching. such has been my
situation many score Of timcs;and though Am
allowed to have tolcrobly good taste for mu'
sic, | consider the catches with which ] wa,
thcn recalled ns the swcctcst nndmosi natural
ever heard As general rule lions roar
during the night; their signing means com
mcncng rs the shade of evening cnvclop,
TIE forest, and continuing AT interval,
throughout the night In distant and scclud
cd regions, however, | have constantly hGart
them roaring LOUDLY as late as nine aud e.,
o'clock on bright sunny morning. In haz,
and rainy weather they are to be heard n
every hour of the day, but their roar i sab
ducd. IL often happens that when two strang'
male lions meet at fountain n terrific com
hat cnsues- which not unircqucntly ends il
the death of ono of them. The habits of th,
lion are strictly nocturnal during the day h,
lies concealed beneath the shade Of some low
bushy tree or wide spreading bush, either il
the level forest or on the mountain side. III
is also partial to lofty reeds or fields of lon;
yellow grass, such as occur in low lying val
lies. From these haunts he sallics forth whci
the sun goes down,and commences his night
" prowl. When he is successful in his beat
and has secured his prey he docs not roa
much that night, only uttcring occasionally
few low means: that is providing no intruder
approach him, otherwise the case would h
very different remarked n fact connectc
with tho lions hour of drinking peculiar t
themselves; they seemed unwilling TO visi
the fountains with good moonlight Thu
when the moon rose early, the lions dcfcrrr
their hour of Watering until late insthc morn
ing; and when the moon rose e,thcy dram
at a very carly hour in the night. a
Owing tn the tawny color of the coat wit
which udturc has rubCd him he is perfect
invisible in the dark; and although / have O
ten heard them loudly tapping the water NJ
rtcr my vcry rruSr, not twenty yards fr71u1 IN,
! could not possibly make out SO much rs tli
ontlinoaf their forms. When thirsty Ito
comes TO winter, he stretches out his n,assiv
arms aud lies down on his breast to drinl
aud makes n loud tapping noise in drinking
not 10 DC mistaleeuf Rc-crniinucs tapping II
the whtor for a long while, and four or iiy
times during the proceeding he pauses Il
halra minute as il tn take breath. Ono thin
conspicuous about them is their eyes, whic
IN dark night gioy. like two balls of fire.