Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1856-04-16

ISCELL A n Y
EFOM tNo WeStHttNStef Lteese"
Lions and Lion Hunting.

We know very little about hons, considering
our centuries of observation, and the abundant
examples on which that observation has boen
rciseexed and the reason is thatSwe have kno' VI
the lion only in captivity, under very decepti We
circumstances Even travellers and naturalists,
perfectly aware of the fact that he belongs to
the feline race describe him as if the broad
daylight, and not the stormy midnight We're his
elements and because sometimes traveller has
found himself in daylight face to face with a
ha)f-sleepy lion moving from his couch on ac-
count of the flies in the sum- and because this IL
ON, in q state of beatific digestion, (having the
night before devoured an oX,) does not smite
the traveller to the earth, the idea of his magma
nmty and generosity have become Circulated
or because in this state he generally declines
combat, especially if fired at, the idea of his
cowardice has also gained acceptance. Had
naturalists studied this majestic animal in the
mountain gorges from twilight until dawn, had
they watched him coming to drink at the stream
or in the forests when the moon has risen, or
dashing among the tents when beef will not sat
isfy his epicurean taste eager for man tieSh7-ln
word, had they watched him, as Gerard has,
rifle in hand, lonely, with the intense eagerness
of q hunter whose life depends upon his mi
nutest observation being accurate, we should
have another conception of the lion from that
to be- derived by study of books or Inspection
of menageries. Jules Gerard, whom the French
with lust pride surnamed lie Tueur dc Lions, !"
has given in two works placed at the head OF
this paper. the result of observations, and the
recital of encounters: works of fascinating IN
terest, from which we propose to condense
few details.
Let us first sketch the story of the lions life,
beginning with his marriage, which taxes place
towards the end of January He has first to
u huf ri
abundant than the females, who are often cut Off
in infancy, it is not rare to find young lady pes
tered by the addresses of three or four galantS,
who quarrel with the aoerbity Of Jealous lovers.
If one of them does net succeed in disabling or
driving away the others, Madam impatient and
dissatisfied, leads them into the presence OF an
old lion, whose rou she has appreciated at a
distance. The Low ers fly ut him with the te-
merty of youth an6l evaporation. The old fel-
low receives them with calm assurance, breaks
the neck of the first with his terrible jaws,
smaShes the leg Of the second and tears ont the
eyes of the third. No sooner is the day won,
and the field clean, than the lion tosses his mane
in the air as he roars, and then couches by the
side of the lady, who, as q reward for his cour-
age, lckS his wounds caressingly. When two
adult lions are rivals the encounter Is more Sc
rious. An Arab PEI ched in tree one night,
saw oness follow ed by tawny lion with
full grown mane she lay down at the foot ol
the tree, the f.on stopped on his path and seem
ed to listen. The Ara b then heard the diStinct
growing of lion, which was instantly rephed
to by tb 2 Goness under the tree. This made
her hp sband roar furiousy The distant lion
was neard approaching, and as he came nearer
the Eoness roared louder, which seemed to aSl-
Aote her husband for he marched towards her
as If to force her to- be silent, and then Sprang
hack 10 his old post, roaring defiance at his dis
+ont r;vol This continued for about an hour,
,whan q black lion made his appearance on the
nlo;n The lioness arose as II TO 90 towards MN
Pmt her husband, guessing her intention bound
~ .auords his rival The two crouched and
s,rane, ON each other, rolling on the grass in the
anbrece of death Their bones cracked, then
Ash torn. their cries of rage and agony rent the
air. and all this time the lioness crouched and
warged her tail slowly in sign OF satisiactlon.-
When the combat ended, and both warriors
were stretched on the plain, she rose, smeiI
them, satisfied herself that they were dead, ano
trotted off, quite regardless of the uncomphmen,
tary epithet which the indignant Arab shouted
after her. This Gerard tells us, is an example
of the conjugal fidelity of Ailady; whereas the
lion never quits his wife, unless forced and is
ouite pattern of conjugal attentions.
(1ur non [Len II ilidliiS't, uS sly. llC II
the slave of his wife. 1t is she who always
takes precedence; when she stops he stops. On
arriving at a dOuar (the collection of tents
what we call ''yillage'O for their supper, she
lies down while he leaps into the enclosure, and
brines to her the booty, He watches her while
sha cats taking care that no one shall disturb
her and not until her appetite is satisfied does
~ ba@;n his meal. When she feels that she is
abont TO be mother, i. e., towards the end of
December, they seek an isolated ravine, and
tb@rs without the aid of chloroform or DIR. Lo-
cock she presents her lord with one, two, and
sometimes three puppies, generally one male and
one female. If the reader has ever seen and
handled puppy lion, he will understand the j
idolatry OF mother and father. She never
quits them for an instant, and he only quits
them to bring home supper When they are
= three months old their weaving commences
The mother accustoms them gradually to IT, by
absenting herself for longer and longer periods,
and bringing them pieces of mutton carefully
skinned The father whose habitual demeanor
is grave, becomes atigued by the frivolous