Page:Babyhood of Wild Beasts.djvu/220

178 babies, who are no larger at birth than a small house cat. They are unable to walk but during the second or third week begin to creep about and soon get control of their helpless legs. They are loving little fellows and readily make friends with animals of other species and humans.

The lioness is one of nature's true mothers. She watches her babies with jealous care, anticipating their wants, kissing away their childish troubles, teaching them good manners, settling their disputes and showering them with the mother love of her great big heart. Many human mothers could learn lessons worth while, lessons of patience, forbearance, gentleness and wisdom from the lioness.

Lions are clean animals. The little babies soon learn to wash their own faces and bodies and take pride in keeping themselves scrupulously clean. Can you imagine anything dearer than a little lion washing his face with his big clumsy paw? They perform their ablutions in much the same fashion as a kitten does. Shortly after birth the milk teeth appear. These are replaced between the ninth and eighteenth month by the permanent