The Book Of The Lion - 1914 Author:Alfred Edward Pease Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: INTRODUCTION Almost the whole of this book was written several years ago. A great sorrow destroyed at that time all inclination to finish it. I have on re-rea... more »ding my MS. decided to publish it, believing that after all it may be of use as well as of interest. Lions and their ways have so often been written about that almost more courage is required to take up the pen than a rifle in dealing with them. There are very nearly as many opinions on lions and their ways as there are naturalists and sportsmen. I may, and indeed hope to, arouse criticism and controversy, for it is only by inciting other observers to relate what they know that the truth as regards the life history and habits of animals can be arrived at. So that, though this book goes forth mainly for those who have not yet met the King of Beasts face to face in the African forest and the wilderness, it has been written in the hope that it may be read also by African naturalists, sportsmen, and explorers. Incidentally I desire that what is here set down may encourage the British public to insist that one little corner of our vast Empire shall remain a sanctuary for that royal creature which with our national modesty we have selected as the emblem of our own valour and magnanimity. Such a refuge now exists in the Game Reserves of the British East African Protectorate, but there are some settlerswho press for the extermination of lions within the protected areas by every means, including poison and traps. None of these persons have farms or residences within the Reserves. The Southern Game Reserve (of B.E.A.) is unsuitable for settlement on account of the climate and the want of water, even were the available and suitable areas exhausted, an event which is remote. Few of those who complain of lions moving out of the Rese...« less