50 LORICATA. 



ORDER 11. LORICATA. 



(Crocodiles.) 



The appellation by which this Order is distin- 

 guished, derived from the word lorica, signifying 

 a coat of mail, expresses the most obvious pecu- 

 liarity by which its members may be known, the 

 ridged and bony armour in which they are invested. 

 " The Crocodiles and Alligators of both worlds, 

 and the Gavials of India, which constitute this 

 order, are distinguished," observes Mr. Bell, 

 " from the true Saurians or Lizard tribe, by seve- 

 ral important characters. Of these the most 

 tangible and obvious is that upon which the 

 name of the Order is founded ; the covering of 

 the whole of the back part of the neck, body, 

 and tail, with distinct series of bones, of mode- 

 derate size, imbedded, as it were, in the substance 

 of the skin, and covered externally with a thick 

 cuticle. These dermal bones are usually fur- 

 nished with a crest, which renders them exceed- 

 ingly strong, and they altogether form a panoply 

 of defence which can resist the attacks of the 

 most powerful enemies of whatever kind."* 



The general form of the Loricata agrees with 

 that of the Lizards ; but besides the important 

 difference already mentioned, the bony plates run 

 down the body in longitudinal lines, the structure 

 of the skull is much more solid, and the posterior 

 orifice of the body is longitudinal. The tail is 



* British Reptiles, xix. 



