his face between the bars; the Lion, in a moment, made a bound, leaped against the bars, patted him with his paws, licked his hands and face, and trembled with pleasure. The female also ran to him; but the Lion drove her back, and seemed angry; and, fearful that she should snatch any favours from Felix, a quarrel was about to take place; but Felix entered the cage to pacify them. He caressed them by turns; and was afterwards frequently seen betwixt them.

He had so great a command over these animals, that whenever he wished them to separate and retire to their cages, he had only to give the order; when he had a desire that they should lie down, and show strangers their paws, or throats, on the least sign they would throw themselves on their backs, hold up their paws one after another, open their throats, and, as a recompense, obtain the favour of licking his hand.

What was

I will give you an account which has often been cited as a proof that the Lion is grateful for acts of kindness. In the days of ancient Rome, about two thousand years ago, a Roman governor treated one of his slaves or subjects, called Androcles, so cruelly that he ran away. To escape pursuit he fled to a desert and crept into a cave. his horror to find that this cave was a Lion's den, and to see a large Lion approach him! He expected instantly to be destroyed; but the Lion, on the contrary, approached Androcles, holding up his paw or foot with a supplicating air. Androcles examined the Lion's paw, and found a thorn in it; he drew out the thorn, and the Lion, apparently relieved, fawned upon his benefactor as a dog does upon his master.

After some time Androcles ventured back to the place where he lived before. He was soon discovered, and, being taken up as a runaway slave, was condemned to be the prey of a wild beast. He was accordingly thrown into a place where a large Lion, recently caught, was let in upon him. The Lion came bounding toward Androcles,

and the spectators expected to see the man instantly torn in pieces. What was their astonishment to see the Lion approach Androcles and suddenly fawn before him like a dog who had found his master! It was the Lion Androcles had met in the desert, and the grateful animal would not rend his benefactor.

The Roman emperor ordered Androcles to be set free, and the Lion to be given him. So Androcles showed the Lion about Rome, and obtained for the show a great deal of money.

This is the story as it has been handed down from antiquity; but there is much reason to believe that, if it is founded in truth, the tale has received great embellishment. It is highly probable that if we could divest the legend of what is fictitious, it would appear to be only another proof, that the Lion, under certain circumstances, submits to the authority of man, and remembers for a long period one who has been accustomed to take care of him. This is doubtless the whole amount of his gratitude; his supposed forbearance and clemency are to be explained by his natural indolence, when not pressed by the calls of hunger.

After what has been related of the Lion, I think my readers will agree that we have much cause of gratitude that our lot is cast in a happy land, where we are free from all danger of wild beasts. The Lion is never seen in country, he comes only as

our forests; and if he visits the a prisoner, and for no other purpose than to gratify our curiosity.

The Bengal Lion, the animal depicted in the cut at the head of this article, and his female companion, were taken in Bengal, in 1823, by General Watson. The general, while out one morning on horseback, with a double barreled rifle, was suddenly surprised by a large male Lion, which bounded out upon him from a thick jungle. He fired, and it fell dead almost close to his feet. A female then darted out upon him. He wounded her, and she fled

into the thicket. Suspecting that her den was close at hand, he followed, soon tracked her to it, and completed her destruction. "In the den were found a beautiful pair of cubs, male and female, supposed to be then not more than three days old. These the general brought away with him, and succeeded, by the assistance of a goat, who was prevailed upon to act in the capacity of foster-mother to the royal pair, in rearing them until they attained sufficient age and strength to enable them to bear the voyage to England. On their arrival in this country, in September, 1823, he presented them to his majesty, who commanded them to be placed in the Tower of London."

THE form of the Tiger resembles that of a cat. He is more slender and elegant in his shape than the lion, and is better formed for swiftness and agility.

SIZE.

The average dimensions of the Tiger are: height, three feet; and length, six feet. They vary very much in size, however; and the largest kind exceed the largest lions in size. Some have been seen nearly ten feet long without the tail.

STRENGTH.

The strength of the Tiger is but little inferior to that of the lion. It is said that he often engages in battle with the Lion, and, on account of his superior agility, with frequent success. Instances have been known of his carrying off a horse or buffalo, and passing rapidly over the uneven ground, apparently very little hindered by his enormous load.

COLOUR AND APPEARANCE.

The body of the Tiger is yellow, beautifully striped with black. He has black rings, generally fifteen in number, on his tail. There are black bands also on the legs. Nothing can be more beautiful than the power and freedom of his movements, or better indicate the force and agility which make him the dread of the countries he inhabits.

. HABITS.

The Tiger, like the lion, springs upon his prey from an ambush, very much as a cat springs upon a mouse. He lurks about in marshy and swampy places, and when he kills an animal, he usually first sucks his blood, and then devours the flesh.

HIS NATIVE COUNTRIES.

The largest kind of Tiger, commonly called the Royal Tiger, is a native of all the southern parts of Asia; and is found in no other countries. Panthers, leopards, and animals nearly resembling the Tiger, and frequently called by his name, are found in Africa. In South America there is a species of Black Tiger, which is peculiarly fierce and ferocious. There are White Tigers also, found in Asia; but they are very rare.

CURIOUS PARTICULARS.

The Tiger has been often described as a creature which, in comparison with the lion, deserves all the hatred of mankind, and none of their admiration. "To pride, courage, and strength, the lion joins greatness, clemency, and generosity but the Tiger is fierce without provocation, and cruel without necessity." Thus writes Buffon, the most eloquent of naturalists, taking up prejudices instead of attending to facts, and using his real information for the support of a false theory.

Similar in construction, the Tiger and the lion are similar in their habits: they are equally of the cat species, driven