Here is a group of animals and their keeper from Herr Hagenbeck's Thierpark. The animal in front is a cross between a lion and a tigress; he lives on quite friendly terms with his keeper, and also with lions, tigers, and leopards, as seen in the photograph.
By permission of Herr Carl Hagenbeck] [Hamburg.
A CROSS BETWEEN LION AND TIGRESS.
This unique photograph shows a remarkable hybrid and its proud parents. The father (on the right) is a lion, and the mother (on the left) a tigress. The offspring (in the centre) is a fine, large male, now four years old; it is bigger than an average-sized lion or tiger.
From the foregoing remarks it will be seen that wild lions, having as a rule much less luxuriant manes than many examples of their kind to be seen in European menageries, are ordinarily not so majestic and dignified in appearance as many of their caged relatives. On the other hand, the wild lion is a much more alert and active animal than a menagerie specimen, and when in good condition is far better built and more powerful-looking, being free from all appearance of lankiness and weakness in the legs, and having strong, well-formed hindquarters. The eyes of the menagerie lion, too, look brown and usually sleepy, whilst those of the wild animal are yellow, and extraordinarily luminous even after death. When wounded and standing at bay, with head held low between his shoulders, growling hoarsely, and with twitching tail, even if he is not near enough to be observed very closely, a lion looks a very savage and dangerous animal; but should he be wounded in such a way as to admit of a near approach—perhaps by a shot that has paralysed his hindquarters—his flaming eyes will seem to throw out sparks of living fire.
Photo by Ottomar Anschütz] [Berlin.
A HUNGRY LION.
Notice that the mane, as in most wild lions, is very scanty.