The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-08-17


From the Washington Post.
Lions are said to have a born dread |
of man. There is no small doubt that |
man has the same fear of the lion. The !
lion has the size and strength for cour-
age, but travellers tell us that the beast
is woefully lacking in this trait. He
will fight, but it must be when hungry
or cornered in pursuit. The Hotten-
tots say that lion never kills man
at once when he has struck him down
unless he is irritated by resistance.
There are many anecdotes told to show
that the lion will run from a human
being, and to further show that the
lion will crouch over or lie quietly near
a human victim. 1t would seem the
lion takes quite another course when
the victim is a beast. Most frequent
~ he kills him with a blow. His habit
is to throw himself on the backs of
animals and break their spines.
Whence comes this difference? Doubt
less from the fear which man inspires
and the natural prudence of the lion,
which makes him always suspect some
trap on the part of the man, and this
leads up to the question of intelligence
in this superbly formed beast, as we'll
as the theory of cowardice ascribed TO
him by some travellers.
William Spencer, the head animal
trainer for a big circus, is we'll inform
ed with regard to the characteristics
and habits of these beasts, and reads
their character from the lines and fea-
lures of the face, much in the same
way as physiognomists do the human
countenance. Just now he is rather
proud of the king of the lion troop in
his charge. Two cubs were added TO
II last week, and Prince, the father of
these youngsters, is ridiculously proud
He is magnificently made beast, with
massive head, said to be more shape
ly than any of his type known to be
in captivity. 1t was interesting to hear
Spencer recently delineate the charac-
ter of this beast by reading the lines
and formation of his face and head.
Il don't know much about the sci
ence by which they exactly tell the tall
ents and traits of a man by feeling the
pumps on his head and looking into
his face, but l know 1 can tell pretty
well lot about the nature of beast
by doing this. That lion over there has
the finest face and head of any lion we
ever had. He has been with us four
years, and the first day he Joined the
show al Baraboo, l knew Just the kind
Of beast he was, and our experience
with him since has proved / was right
Notice the top of his head there; it is
as fiat as a pancake. Look back of
the ears. See those Jumps? Look at
his jaws. See how deep they are? And
look at his nose, with its dog length
What does all that show? I'll tell you.
1t means that he has more fight in him
than sense, and more vanity than eth
er. The upper part of his head shows
that he is most strongly marked by the
traits of his father. The wavering lip,
with a little inclination to curl at the
side, and the round chin show that the
mothers nature was not altogether
overlooked when 1t came to endowing
this beautiful animal.
This combination makes him quick
tempered, sensitive and foolish. 1T also
makes him susceptible to attention, as
we'll as jealous in it's absence. When
ever we get a new lion he goes in the
air. That is to say, he gets sullen,
which comes from the jealous streak,
and will never rest easy until he stirs
up fight. If the newcomer has any
backbone and will have 1t out with
him, the chances are that after a fair
to-middling struggle he will quit. But
IL the other animal does not put up a
stiff fight and is driven to his corner,
then he is in high feather and bound
to make the life of the victim a daily
misery. AS he is the handsomest and
biggest male we have just now, l ham
die him in such a way as to fatter
his vanity and make him a peaceful
picture, as we'll as quiet leader in the
troop of lions we carry.
THE youngest over there in the other
cage is only 2 years old and hardly
strong enough to show his nature yet.
However, lions reach their full growth
at years and his head and face are
sufficiently well developed in character
expression to enable me to read his
traits. If he could speak, he would
be a beautiful talker. His eyes have
that bulge which gives expression to
both writing and speaking, or, for that
matter playing and singing. His fore
head is narrower than Princes. and IL
rises on top, and has a longer line
from the top of the forehead to a point
back of the ears. This means a num-
Der of things. II means that his nature
is more gentle, and IL means that he
will be tidy and well hammered. Ami
mails have manners as we'll as people.
and in this respect they run from good
to bad in the same way. The only
difference is that people can acquire
them from association, whereas ami
mails are born with qualities that make
them. His nose has more the shape of
the North lion-that is IL is not so
long. 1t is a trihe wider, too. And the
face is shaped so that no feature sticks
out strongly at the expense of any
other. That means that he is well bal
anced and will have a more serene life.
You will find the other boys and girls
of the lion family coddling more with
him than one of the Prince kind. Were
he on two legs and in our clothes, he
would make a good churchman and
build up a family. The other big fell
low would wear straps of some kind
and lead the dance, or he wouldn't stay.
He probably would be a politician, and
i wouldn't be surprised If he landed
in Washington and made his daugh-
tiers too dressy for their old friends.
This youngster / am talking about
has a musical sense and ear. I bought
a music box last Christmas when we
were at our winter quarters at Bara-
boo and this animal was feeling poorly.
He evidently had taken a severe cold,
and as lions are susceptible to pneu-
monia, was considerably worried, for
he is an unusually fine specimen of
beast. / gave him medicine in his food
and drink, and he gradually got well.
honestly believe, however. that the
operate airs played by this music box
had more to do with building up his
strength than all the medicine he took.
II had a most peculiar effect upon him.