GAVIALIS. a 



Tongue entirely attached to the floor of the mouth. Pupil 

 vertical. Only the three inner digits clawed. 



The Crocodiles are at the same time the most highly organized 

 and the largest of existing Eeptiles. They are thoroughly aquatic 

 and carnivorous. Their eggs, which have a hard shell, are deposited 

 on the banks of the water, in a hollow slightly covered up with 

 sand. 



23 or 24 living species are known from Africa, Southern Asia to 

 the Tang-tse-Kiang, North Australia, and the tropical and warm 

 parts of xlmerica. In the fauna with which the present work 

 deals, Crocodiles are represented by two genera, thus distin- 

 guished : — 



Snout extremely elongate ; 27 teeth or more on each 



side of upper jaw Gavialis, p. 3. 



Snout moderate; 17 to 19 teeth on each side of 



upper jaw Crocodilus, p. 4. 



Genus GAVIALIS, 

 Oppel, Ordn. Rept. p. 19, 1811. 



27 to 29 upper and 25 or 20 lower teeth on each side, anterior 

 largest, laterals subequal, not received into interdental pits ; the 

 first, second, and third mandibular teeth fitting into notches in the 

 upper jaw. Snout extremely narrow and elongate, dilated at the 

 end ; nasal bones comparatively short, widely separated from the 

 prsemaxillaries ; nasal opening smaller than the supratemporal 

 fossae ; lower anterior margin of orbit (jugal) raised. Mandibular 

 symphysis extremely long, extending to the 23rd or 24th tooth, 

 comprising the splenial bones. A dorsal shield formed of four 

 longitudinal series of juxtaposed, keeled, bony scutes. 



A single species, only found in rivers. 



1. Gavialis gangeticus. 



Lacerta ganp:etica, G7nel. Si/st. j\\it. i, p. 1057. 



Gavialis gangeticus, Gilnth. Bept. B. 1. p. 03 ; Boulemj. Cat. Chel. 



^c. p. 275. 

 Gharialis gangeticus, Theob. Cat. p. 37. 



Snout 3i (adult) to 5| times (young) as long as broad at the 

 base. Nuchal and dorsal scutes forming a single continuous shield, 

 composed of 21 or 22 transverse series ; an outer row of soft, 

 smooth or feebly-keeled scutes in addition to the bony dorsal 

 scutes ; two small postoccipital scutes. Median fingers one-third, 

 outer toes two-thirds webbed. A strong crest on the outer edge of 

 the forearm, leg, and foot. Adult dark olive above ; young pale 

 olive, with dark brown spots or cross-bands. 



Hab. Indus, Granges, and Brahmaputra rivers and their larger 

 tributaries ; also Mahiinadi of Orissa, and Koladyue river, Arrakan, 

 but not the Nerbudda, Tapti, Grodavari, Kistna, Irrawaddy, or other 

 rivers of India or Burma. 



The Gharial reaches a length of 20 feet ; it feeds entirely upon 

 fish, for seizmg which its narrow jaws are specially adapted. 



b2 



