13 



The Edinburgh Encycl., the Encycl. Americana, Sclieuchzer in his 

 Physica Sacra., Dr. Young of England, and the author of the Bridge wa- 

 ter treatise on Animals, in asserting the identity of these animals, and, 

 that the description of the one "is clearly" the description of the other, 

 have committed a grave error, instead of serving the cause of the faith- 

 ful, or elucidating the natural history of the book of Job. 



Among the many fabulous accounts of this reptile, not the least defa- 

 matory and false is that concerning its want of Sincerity. It is said to 

 be a hypocrite, and that its tears are false. Hear an old poet : 

 "As cursed crocodile most cruelly can tole, 

 With truthless tears unto his death, the silly pitying soul." 



Fuller declares that "the crocodile's Tears are never true, unless 

 forced by the influence of saffron." I have seen the detestable juice of 

 tobacco tried, by a negro, who, spirted his saliva m its eyes, as correctly 

 as Boz could wish, but without producing any tears ; it only enraged the 

 animal — an example worthy of the imitation of the great Primate, con- 

 cerning whose spitting Mr. Dickens has written so well. — An alligator 

 has no deceit. If he hates you, he will hiss you to your face. 



This reptile's eye has not, even in the midst of fear, any of that wild, 

 staring appearance, in which the white portion is displayed by both men 

 and animals. Nor is there any of that fiery, injected, rolling appea- 

 rance expressive of anger and ferocity, which poets and painters dwell 

 upon so frequently. 



The Ear^ if we follow Herodotus, must be a very prominent organ. 

 An Alligator sent to Louis XIV, was examined by the French savans, 

 who were quite astounded at not finding the Herodotian ears, though it 

 is doubtful whether they believed their own senses in opposition to so 

 great an authority ! — The ear is found with difficulty by the uninitiated. 

 It begins near the posterior angle of the eye, just above the Suborbital 

 Fissure — which latter commences anterior to the globe, running below 

 it, in a horizontal, longitudinal direction, diverging backward, correspond- 

 ing to the expansion of the head, being nearly an inch in depth and in width. 

 The ear is a valve-like slit, fitting so accurately, that probably no water 

 can enter. The animal seems either to have no power, or no inclination 

 to open this valve. It must be opened with a thin edged lever as an 

 oyster. It is about two inches long, the same in depth, presenting a 

 reddish white, flat surface, inclined to the horizon 25 "^ to 35 ® , corres- 

 ponding to the plane of the cranium. There is no external auricle or 

 cavity — no external pavilion — no apparatus suited for the reception of 

 pendant ornaments, with which fable has loaded this organ.* — Both the 

 ears and eyes are from three to four inches apart. 



The Nosti'ils are very small — less than half an inch in their grea- 

 test diameter — oblong, opening about one and a half inches from 

 each other, and the same distance from the tip of the snout, are 

 used in breathing equally wdth the mouth. 



The Neck is less than a foot in length, being much larger at its cra- 

 nial than at its dorsal end. Near the mouth there is an integumentary 

 Pouch-like enlargement, which might, perhaps, be called a cheek. But, 



*The Rev. Dr. Russel, in his book on Egypt, (Fam. Lib. v. 23d, 1836,) 

 says, that the crocodile's ears are broad I 



