Wherever settlements are made in a district infested by lions. these animals profit by raids upon domestic animals; and the scarcer the wild prey becomes, and the more familiarity the lions acquire with man and his ways, the more harm they do. Few fences or stockades are effective against them. The next step is the habit of occasional or persistent preying upon humanity. How the lion of the wilderness behaves in the presence of man depends upon such a diversity of and so varies with individuals. that it is not safe to generalize. It he is not hungry and has a free way for retreat. he will very likely run when a man is met ; hut he may charge on the instant. A few brought to hay have been known to cower, hut the majority fight for life bravely. Occasionally certain lions, like tigers, get into the habit of deliberately seeking human flesh. They are often old, weakened ones. no longer capable of hunting well. but sometime; are individuals, wiser than the ordinary, who have learned that humanity is the easiest possible prey. Such animals must be got rid of, and in Africa large parties are organized to hunt them down and kill them—an achievement rarely ac complished without further loss of human life.
The hunting of lions is done nowadays almost altogether on foot, by lying in wait at night at their drinking-places. or by seeking them by day in their lairs. The literature of sport in Africa, Persia, and India abounds in thrilling tales of adventures thus encountered. Various traps have always been used for their capture. the most suc cessful of which is the pitfall, and by this means principally were captured the great numbers of lions familiar to the civilized people of an tiquity.
This imposing animal, we are told, makes its appearance in art and literature very early. l'requent mention is made of it in the cuneiform tablets and Ilebrew Scriptures. In the so-called Song of Pentaur, describing time r of Itameses 11. against the Cheta, lions are said to have ac companied the King's chariot. They were kept in all the thunan cities for the public sports, and hundreds were sometimes provided for the entertainment of the populace in a single series of games. They were pitted against each other. or some other gm-eat beasts, but mainly they were matched again-t the 'bestiariP or professional animal-killers of the arena. So great and lasting was the demand for this purpose that the supply became scanty, and the Emperor Honorius, in the filth century. enacted laws prohibiting the killing
of African lions. Under this protection they so increased and became so bold in their destruction of villagers and cattle, that Justinian was com pelled to rescind the edict. Extraordinary stories are told of the degree of tamability and educa tion reached by some of these ancient lions. hut they should be received with distrust. The kit tens are playful, gentle, and affectionate, and some adults are docile, subdued, and even seem to care for their teachers, but none is really trust worthy; all must he kept in subjection by fear, and their acquired intelligence is very small. The tricks and perfGrmances which the trained beasts of the menagerie go through are usually very simple when analyzed. Lion, withstand captivity well. however, and finer specimens have probably been reared in zoidogical gardens than ever were seen in the wilderness. They breed readily, even in traveling menageries. and few if any now exhibited were not born in captivity.
For the Asiatic lion, consult authorities men tioned under TIGER. See Colored Plate of FELID.E.
IlinuoctlArnv. Standard work,, but all pre vious to 1885 should be read with caution: the best account will be found in the loyal Natural History (London, 1895: New York. as the Nrio Natural History, about 1898). Porter's Wild Beasts (New York. 18941 has a very complete and judicious summary of the animal's biography. For the African lion and its hunting. consult the writings of many missionary travelers and hunt ers. especially Livingstone; Missionary Labors and Scenes in South Africa (London, 1845) : Gerard, La Chasse au lion et les aulres classes de l'Alghie (Paris. 1854) ; Andersson. 7'he Lion and the Elephant (London, 1873) ; Lake Y yawl (London, 1856) Daumas. Les cherau,r (In Sahara (Paris. I8511: Gordon-Cum ming. A Hunter' Life in Africa (New York, 1850) ; Harris, Wild Sports in Southern Africa (5th ed., London, 1852) ; Drummond. The Large Came . . . of South Africa (Edinburgh, 1875) ; Baker, Wild Beasts and Their Ways (Lon don. 1890) ; Cameron, Across Africa (London, 1877) • Schulz and Hammar, New Africa (Lon don, 1897) ; Holub, Sc rem Years in translated by Fresher ( London. 1881) ; SchAvein faith, Heart of Africa (Leipzig, 1878) ; Kerr, The Far Interior (London, 1886) ; Blanford, Geological and Zoological Surrey of Abyssinia (London, 1870) ; Selons. A Hunter's Wanderings in Africa (London, 1890).