turning the horses round. He next crept under the belly of a mare, and seized her by the fore legs, but with a powerful kick she made him let go his hold. In revenge, and by one stroke of his paw, he tore open the body of the mare, and retired. After this, he tried to get round the horses to the men, but when on the point of making a spring, he was happily killed by a musket ball, the ball penetrating behind the ear." It is singular, says Mr. Sparrman in his African travels, that the lion is reported frequently, although provoked, to content himself with sometimes only wounding the human species, or at least to wait some time before he gives the fatal blow to the unhappy victim he has got under him. A farmer had the misfortune to see a lion seize two of his oxen, at the very instant he had taken them out of the wagon, but they fell down dead, having had their backs broken. A father and two sons were in search of a lion, when he rushed upon them, threw one of them under his feet, but he received no great hurt, for the two others shot him dead upon the spot. Another farmer had lain some time under a lion, received several bruises from the beast, and was a good deal bitten by him in one arm, but the noble animal, as it were, gave him his life: nevertheless, others say, that if a lion once taste human blood, he for ever after thirsts for it. So strong is this opinion in India, that an officer who was asleep with his left hand out of bed, was awoke by his pet lion licking him. Of course the rough tongue brought blood, and he tried to withdraw his hand. The lion gave a slight growl, upon which the officer took a loaded pistol from under his pillow, and shot him dead, feeling convinced if he escaped then, he should never again be safe. I might multiply my stories of destruction and escapes, till they alone would form a volume, but I would rather give a few instances of the gratitude of this magnificent creature. "One day," relates Mr. Hope, "the company attended the Duchess of Hamilton to see her lion fed; and while they were teasing and provoking him, the porter came and said, that a sergeant with some recruits at the gate begged to see the lion. Her grace afforded permission; the lion was growling over his prey, the sergeant advanced to the cage, called "Nero, Nero, don't you know me," and the animal instantly raised his head; rose, left his food, and wagging his tail went to the bars of his cage. The man patted him, and then said it was three years since they had seen each other, that he had taken charge of the lion from Gibraltar, and he was glad to see the poor beast shew so much gratitude. The lion, indeed, seemed to be perfectly pleased, went to and fro, rubbing himself against the place where his old friend stood, and licked the sergeant's hand as he held it out to him."