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Arabia; but their proper country is Africa, where their size is the largest, their numbers the greatest, and their rage more tremendous, being inflamed by the influence of a burning sun, on a most arid soil; in the interior parts, amid the scorched and desolate deserts of Zaara, of Biledulgerid, they reign sole masters-lord it over every beast, and their courage never meets with a check; the nearer they approach the habitations of the human race, the less is their rage; or rather the greater is their timidity: they have often experienced the unequal combat and finding that there exists a being superior to them, they commit their ravages with more caution. A cooler climate, again, has the same effect; but in the burning deserts, where rivers and fountains are denied, they live in a perpetual fever; a sort of madness, which proves fatal to every animal they meet with.

There is mentioned a wonderful proof of the instinct of these animals in those arid tracts of desart sand there the pelican makes her nest, and in order to cool her young ones, and accustom them to an element they must afterwards be conversant in, she brings from afar, in her great gular pouch, sufficient water to fill the nest: the lion and other wild beasts approach and quench their thirst, yet never injure the unfledged birds, as if conscious that their destruction would immediately put a stop to those grateful supplies.

The courage of the lion is tempered with mercy: he has been known to spare the weaker animals as beneath his attention. There are upon record, many instances of his gratitude, the relations of which are so strange and wonderful, that the reader may be directed by the note below*, to find the stories, and to consult the authorities himself.

*Aulus Gell. Ælian. Pliny.

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Lions are capable of being tamed. In Bell's Travels we are told, that the monarch of Persia, full of savage state, had, on days of audience, twó great ones chained on each side of the passage to the room of state, led there by keepers, in chains of gold. Why, then, may we not credit the story of their being harnessed for the triumphal car of the conqueror Bacchus?

The lion preys on all kinds of animals as his scent is bad, he cannot hunt by the nose; but his peculiar and tremendous roar strikes terror into every beast of the desert, and sets them in motion, in open view; he then selects his object, and takes it, not so much by pursuit, as by a vast bound, striking it with his talons, and tearing it to pieces. In inhabited countries, he sometimes invades the folds, and leaps over the fences with his prey; and such is his strength, that he can carry off a middling ox with the greatest ease. In many places he takes his prey by surprise, lurking in the thickets and springing on it. Sometimes some of the human species fall victims to his hunger; but then it is rather through necessity than choice. The Arabs have a notion of his sparing the fair sex; but Dr. Shaw informs us, that they make no distinction in these days: the same writer acquaints us, that the flesh of the lion is often eaten in Barbary; and that in taste it resembles veal. Mr. Bruce informs us, that he has himself several times eaten of it. The lion's skin, which was formerly the robe of heroes, now serves the negroes for a mantle or bed.

This species is not numerous; it even appears to diminish, and the human species to increase, in the course of revolving ages. The Romans drew more lions from Lybia for their public spectacles than could now be found in that country.

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alSome creatures of this species were formerly found in Europe, between the rivers Achelous and Nessus. In the days of Aristotle, there were lions in Thrace, Macedonia, and Thessaly; but there are none now in Europe, and there never were any in America! to Though this noble animal inhabits the warmest climates only, yet he can subsist for a great length of time in temperate countries, and perhaps, with some attention, might even be enabled to propagate. The period of their gestation is not as yet ascertained; bue some suppose it six months; that they bring forth but once a year; and that the young ones, of which there are four or five at a litter, are very small, not larger than a weasel. In these animals, all the passions, even those of the softest kind, are excessive. The maternal affection of the lioness is extreme. Though naturally weaker and less courageous than the lion, whenever she has young, she becomes dreadfully ferocious. The lion, it is alledged, has neither the sense of smelling, nor of seeing, so acute as the other beasts of prey. The light of the sun seems to incommode him: he seldom goes abeoad in the middle of the day, but makes all his excursions during the night: when he sees fires burning around the flocks and caravans, he never approaches them. Antelopes and monkeys are his common food, though he takes the latter when upon the ground only; for he never climbs trees like the tiger or puma: he devours as much at a time as will serve him two or three days. Unlike the wolf and the hyena, he kills no more than he can consume. He requires about fifteen pounds of raw flesh per day: he drinks often, lapping like andog; but his tongue, in lapping, is bended downward: his breath is very rank, and the odour of his urine unsupportable.

The roaring of the lion is so loud, that when uttered during the night in the deserts, it resembles, by the repetition of echoes, the noise of thunder this roaring is the ordinary voice of the lion; for, when enraged, he utters a short and suddenly repeated cry; but the roaring is a prolonged cry; av kind of a deep toned grumbling, mixed with a sharp vibrating noise: he roars five or six times in the day, and oftener before rain; when enraged, his cry is still more terrible than his roaring he then beats his sides and the earth with his tail, agitates his mane, moves the skin of his face and his large eyebrows, shews his dreadful tusks, and thrusts out his tongue, which is armed with prickles so hard, that it alone is sufficient to tear the skin and the flesh, without the assistance of either teeth or claws: his strength lies most in his head, jaws, and fore-legs: he sees in the night like cats: his sleep is short, and he is easily awaked: his course is oblique, and consists not in equal movemeuts, but is performed by leaps and bounds: when he leaps upon his prey, he makes a spring of twelve or fifeeen feet; falls above the victim; seizes it with his fore-feet; tears it in pieces with his claws, and then devours it with his teeth.

MASQUERADE AT THE PANTHEON.

N Monday, February 2d, was the most bril

mated of any we have had in this country for many, years, if there had been better and more music; but there being but one band, they could not of course play all the evening, and at times all music ceased for twenty minutes. Three Savoyardsplayed now and then, but in a company of four or five thousand people they could scarcely be heard.

Among them was a Jemmy Jumps, and an author. Several leaden-heeled barlequins, fierrots, and sailors, were among the worst. There were two very good gypsey women, and children at their backs; a jockey, aud some witty chimney-sweepers. Two

very elegant and handsome women, in Spanish dresses, with most superb and beautiful plumes of feathers, gained the attention and admiration of all the beaux. A pretty charity girl; a charming Columbine, who danced delightfully; a Miss Prisey Tomboy, who romped very much, and an excellent cobler. A vast number of dominoes, nor were there more than five or six men in women's cloaths admitted. There was a very excellent supper, with plenty of wine, and of the best quality. The rooms did not begin to thin till six o'clock in the morning, and were not quit cleared till nine.

The several shops fitted up for the accommodation of the company, and in honour of the Union, were well attended, and none of the customers seemed displeased with the bargains of the evening. In addition to the above characters, we witnessed a most excellent Sylvester Daggerwood. Mr. Brewer, in the character of Peter Fog, recited some verses on the Union, which were much applauded, and of which the following is an extract :—

Ecce Signum a poet, the Union his theme is, And to make you all smile, his wish and his theme is : Then attend, if you please, while with care he rehearses,

Not the bellman's, but something that's like bellman's verses.

Of Hibernia I sing, rich urbanity's seat,

Whose friendship and love 'tis an honour to greet; For the Irish are noble, they're gen'rous, sincere— I'm very much pleas'd' we've some of them here,

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