Evening star., 1924-12-21
STORY OF INDIAN
LIONS REVEALED
lranspIanting of African
: Beasts Years Ago
:. Changed Species.

Correspondence Of The Star and New York
World.
LONDON, December 10.-How the
African lion was transplanted to
india to make royal sport and -four
1Shed exceedingly in his new sur
reundingS was revealed by the recent
ION hunt undertaken in the State of
Junagadh, Western India, by Niceroy,
the Earl of Reading.
AS biologists and geographers en-
phasiZe, India Is not normally the
hpme of the lion, and for a long time
the big forest of Cir, in Junagadh,
Was regarded S the last home of the
rapidly diminishing species of Indian
lion, which is practically maneless.
and smaller than his African brother.
THE viceregal hunt however.
slowed the present denizens of
CIR have big names and are much
larger and fiercer than the hitherto
known type of Indian lion. They
ate in fact. African lions to all in
tents and purposes and some won
dsrment was expressed as to how the
typo could ha"" reached India.
Stocked for Hunt.
THE secret was revealed by aged
local officials after much pressure, and
soes back some 30 years. II
seems that when King Edwards $
et6er son, the late Duke of Clarence,
Visited India the then Nawab of
Junagadh arranged a lion hunt for
hS;ll In the Cir forest. But as the time
drew near for the royal visit the ma
tfSe chieftains became nervous lest
ae esufficient number of lions should
net be available for the hunt-the
Iadian lion being rapidly diminish
ing type.
IThey accordingly secretly sent for
aEumber of African lions, which We're
tfAnsplanted across the Indian Ocean
tE native sailing vessels and unlooscd
tlI the Cir lion preserves. The new
corners apparently quickly settled
dSwn In the fresh domain and evi
dsntly, in some cases, mated with the
local species. In any event. from
having a small and comparatively
tarnless leonine population. Cir Forest
became known in a few years a s the
home of numerous and savage speci-
n,ens.
Incidentally the Duke of Clarence.
for whose bneft they were trans
pdrted, never found time to visit
Jura gadh. and the lions were left to
multiply in peace. SO well was the
secret OF their presence kept that
when, a few years later, the then
viSeroy, Lord Curzon, expressed his
irHentiou 70 having a lion hunt. there
wRs quite i commotion in the vcrnac
usar press about the threatened at
tack on a rare and diminishing type
o& Indian animal. CurZon, close stu
dent OF the Indian mind, abandoned d
his lion hunt.
Lforess KILLS Hunter.
Years later complaints reached the
governor OF Bombay of the depreda-
ttbns of the Cir Forest lions, which
uere rapidly becoming the terror of
the state, and a hunting party was
nRganized to test the stories. The
party, headed by Lord La1incton.
who was then governor OF Bombay,
quickly obtained gic confirma ton,
for one Of the English hunters was
killed by wounded lioness. The
party shot several fine specimens,
which displayed unmistakabIe signs
oktheir African extraction and which
gseatiy puzzled the hunters.
EThe Cir Forest lions are carefully
preserved and only a few exalted Wis
itQrs are Permitted to. shoot them on
r4e occasions. They are understood
to be still numerous and savage, but
royal and other visitors are generally
regaled with tiger hunts, while the
lion IS left more or less to his own
devices. IncldentaiIy,.a the Earl Of
Reading is the first vicsroy TO be en-
tertained by a lion hunt.