The roaring of the lion is so loud, that when heard in the night, and re-echoed by the mountains, it resembles distant thunder. The roar is a deep hollow growl: but when enraged, he has a different cry, which is short, broken, and reiterated. This is always excited by opposition; and upon those occasions, when the lion summons up all his terrors for the combat, nothing can be more formidable. He then lashes his sides with his long tail, which alone is strong enough to lay a man level; his mane seems to rise, and stand like bristles round his head: the skin and muscles of his face are all in agitation; his huge eye-brows half cover his glaring eye-balls; he discovers his terrific teeth and tongue, and extends his claws, which appear almost as long as a man's fingers. Prepared in this manner for war, even the boldest of the human kind are daunted at his approach; and there are no animals, excepting the elephant, the rhinoceros, the tiger, and the hippopotamus, that will venture singly to engage him, which rarely happens; for the lion is in general the undisputed master of the forest.-At present, the lion is only found in Africa and the East Indies, in some of which countries he grows to an enormous height; but the ordinary size is between three and four feet: he is thought to be long lived, because he has been found toothless; but this is no certain sign, as it may proceed from his corrupt breath, or some other cause.

THE lioness is, in all her dimensions, about one third less than the male, and is destitute of that mane which contributes so essentially to the majesty of her consort's

appearance. She is naturally less strong, less courageous, and less mischievous than the lion; but when she has young, she becomes equally formidable, and even more ferocious; as, at that time, she makes incursions with the utmost intrepidity; destroys both men and animals, without distinction; loads herself with the spoil, and carries it home reeking to her cubs, whom she accustoms betimes to cruelty and slaughter. She usually brings forth in the most sequestered and inaccessible places: and when she fears to have her retreat discovered, she often hides her tracks, by retracing her ground, or by brushing them out with her tail. Sometimes also, when her apprehensions are great, she transports her offspring from one place to another; and, if obstructed, defends them with determined courage, and fights to the last extremity. The young ones, when first brought forth, are about the size of a pug-dog, harmless, pretty, and playful; they continue at the teat nearly twelve monhts, and are about five years in coming to perfection.

IT was proverbial among the ancients, that, "As the peacock is the most beautiful among birds, so is the tiger among quadrupeds." In fact, nothing can be more beautiful than this animal: the glossy smoothness of his hair, the extreme blackness of the streaks with which he is marked, and the bright yellow colour of the ground which they diversify, cannot fail of exciting the admiration of every beholder; whilst his slender, delicate, and

truly elegant form bespeaks extreme swiftness and agility. Unhappily, however, this animal's disposition is as mischievous as its form is admirable; and it seems to partake of all the noxious qualities of the lion, without possessing any of his good ones. To pride, courage, and strength, the lion joins greatness, clemency, and generosity; but the tiger is fierce without provocation, and cruel without necessity. In attacking a flock, or a herd, it gives no quarter, but levels all indiscriminately; and scarcely finds time to appease its appetite, while intent upon satisfying the malignity of its nature. It fears neither the threats nor the opposition of mankind; the beasts both wild and tame become the victims of its insatiable fury, and it not unfrequently ventures to attack the lion himself.

In proof of the enormous strength of this creature, it has been remarked, that whenever it kills a large animal, such as a horse or a buffalo, it carries off its prey to the forest; dragging it along with such facility, that the swiftness of its motion seems scarcely retarded by the enormous load it sustains.

The tiger's method of taking his prey is, in general, by concealing himself, and springing suddenly on his victim; and it is said, that if he misses his object, or is unexpectedly repulsed, he makes off, without repeating the attempt. He expresses his resentment in the same manner as the lion; moving the muscles and skin of his face, shewing his teeth, and shrieking in the most frightful tone: his voice, however, is very different from that of the lion; being rather a scream than a roar.

The female produces four or five young at a litter; and, although furious at all times, upon this occasion she exceeds her usual rapacity. If her young be taken from her, she pursues the spoiler with incredible rage: he, in order to save a part, drops one of her cubs, with which she immediately returns to her den, and again pursues him; he then drops another, and by the time she has returned with that, he generally escapes with the remainder; but if the tigress be robbed of her whole family, she becomes perfectly infuriate, boldly approaches even the towns themselves, and commits incredible slaughter.

The skins of these animals are held in high estimation all over the East; particularly in China. In Europe, however, they are but seldom met with, and not so highly prized; being deemed much inferior to those of the panther and leopard.

Of all this tribe, whose skins are so beautifully spotted, and whose natures are so mischievous, this animal may be considered as the foremost. He is from five to six feet in length, measuring from the nose to the tail. His colour is, in general, of a bright tawney yellow, elegantly marked with black spots, disposed in circles of four or five each, with a single spot in the centre; his chest and belly are white. The ears of this animal are short and pointed; his eyes fierce and restless; and his aspect remarkably ferocious.

It is said to prefer the flesh of animals to that of men; but when pressed by hunger, it makes its attacks without discrimination. The general mode of taking its prey is by surprise, either lurking in thickets, or creeping on the ground until it comes within reach; and as it is capable of climbing trees with tolerable facility, neither the monkeys nor other small animals are secure from its insidious attacks.

Panthers appear to have been very numerous in the time of the Romans, and at present the species is said to extend from Barbary to the remotest parts of Guinea.

THE COUGAR.

THIS animal is similar to the tiger, but of a different colour, being of a deep brown, rather darker on the back, but inclining to white on the lower part of the belly. He is a native of America, and a very destructive animal. The Indians hunt him for the sake of his skin.

THIS animal is about four feet in length, exclusive of the tail, which commonly measures two feet and a half. It has a much more beautiful coat than the panther, the yellow being more brilliant, and the spots not disposed in rings, but clusters. It is a native of Senegal, Guinea, and the interior parts of Africa; and is also found in some parts of China, and among the mountains of Caucasus, from Persia to India.

These quadrupeds are naturally very ferocious, and attack, without distinction, every thing they meet, sparing neither man nor beast. They seem to delight in the most impervious forests, but when they cannot obtain a sufficient supply there, they come out from their lurking places, and commit dreadful ravages among the flocks which are feeding on the plains.

THE JAGUAR.

THE jaguar, or panther of South America, is about the size of a wolf; is marked on the upper parts with streaks of open oblong spots, or patches; the top of the back with long interrupted stripes, and the sides with rows of regular open marks; the thighs and legs are variegated with black spots without central spaces. His disposition, like that of the panther or leopard, is fierce and sanguinary; and he is justly considered as one of the most formidable quadrupeds of the new continent.