CHAP. 17.—LIONS; HOW THEY ARE PRODUCED.
It is a remarkable fact, that pards,[1] panthers, lions, and
other animals of this kind, walk with the points of their nails
concealed in a sheath in the body, lest they should be broken
or blunted; and that, when they run, their hooked claws are
turned backwards, and are never extended, except in the act of
seizing their prey.[2]
(16.) The noble appearance of the lion is more especially to be
seen in that species which has the neck and shoulders covered
with a mane, which is always acquired at the proper age by
those produced from a lion; while, on the other hand, those
that are the offspring of the pard, are always without this distinction. The female also has no mane. The sexual passions of
these animals are very violent, and render the male quite furious.
This is especially the case in Africa, where, in consequence
of the great scarcity of water, the wild beasts assemble in
great numbers on the banks of a few rivers. This is also the
reason why so many curious varieties of animals are produced
there, the males and females of various species coupling
promiscuously with each other.[3] Hence arose the saying,
which was common in Greece even, that "Africa is always
producing something new." The lion recognizes, by the
peculiar odour of the pard, when the lioness has been unfaithful to him, and avenges himself with the greatest fury.
Hence it is, that the female, when she has been guilty of a
lapse, washes herself, or else follows the lion at a considerable
distance. I find that it was a common belief, that the lioness is
able to bear young no more than once, because, while delivering
herself, she tears her womb with her claws.[4] Aristotle, however, gives a different account; a man of whom I think that
I ought here to make some further mention, seeing that upon
these subjects, I intend, in a great measure, to make him my
guide. Alexander the Great, being inflamed with a strong
desire to become acquainted with the natures of animals, entrusted the prosecution of this design to Aristotle, a man who
held the highest rank in every branch of learning; for which
purpose he placed under his command some thousands of men
in every region of Asia and Greece, and comprising all those
who followed the business of hunting, fowling, or fishing, or
who had the care of parks, herds of cattle, the breeding of bees,
fish-ponds, and aviaries, in order that no creature that was
known to exist might escape his notice. By means of the
information which he obtained from these persons, he was enabled to compose some fifty volumes, which are deservedly esteemed, on the subject of animals; of these I purpose to give
an epitome, together with other facts with which Aristotle
was unacquainted; and I beg the kind indulgence of my readers
in their estimate of this work of mine, as by my aid they
hastily travel through all the works of nature, and through
the midst of subjects with which that most famous of all kings
so ardently desired to be acquainted.
Aristotle then informs us, that the lioness, at the first birth,
produces five whelps, and one less every succeeding year,
until, after having produced one only, she ceases to bear.[5]
The young ones, when first born, are shapeless and extremely
small in flesh, being no larger than a weasel; for six months
they are scarcely able to walk,[6] and until they are two months
old, they cannot move. Lions, he says, are found in Europe,
but only between the rivers Achelous and Nestus; being much
superior in strength to those which are produced in Africa or
Syria.[7]
1. The pard of Pliny, as we shall find stated below, is the male of the
panther.
2. Cuvier remarks, that all the feline animals have retractile claws, drawn
by an elastic ligament into a sheath, and protruded when required for the
purpose of prehension. The sheath is formed of a duplicature or fold of
the skin and the subjacent cellular membrane.—B.
3. What Pliny states here, is without foundation. He supposes that the
leopard is the produce of a pard, or male panther, and the female of the
lion; but this is incorrect, the leopard being a distinct species of animal.—B.
4. Herodotus, B. iii. c. 108, gives the same account, which is refuted by
Aristotle, Hist. Anim. B. vi. c. 31. Aulus Gellius, B. xiii. c. 7, refers to
Herodotus, and the refutation by Aristotle.—B.
5. The account here given of the lioness generally, Aristotle gives respecting the Syrian lioness only, Hist. Anim. B. vi. c. 31; there is some
reason to believe that Aristotle is not correct in what he says. The account given by Ælian, Anim. Nat. B. iv. c. 33, is nearly the same with
that of Pliny.—B.
6. There is much in this account that is incorrect. It is well ascertained
that the cubs of the lion are proportionably as large and as perfectly formed
as the young of other animals that belong to the same family.—B.
7. Herodotus, B. vii. c. 126, and Aristotle, Hist. Anim. B. viii. c. 28,
give a similar account of the district in which lions are found.—B. Littré
remarks, that this statement of Pliny is probably formed, as originally
suggested by M. Maury, upon the fact, that the lions of Europe, as we
learn from Herodotus, attacked the camels of Xerxes, on his invasion of
Europe.