78 REPTILES OF THE WORLD 



dile differs little in its modes of life from others of the 

 genus. It is hunted for various purposes — often for 

 sport, and its plated back is by no means impervious 

 to a modern rifled arm — even a revolver of fair caliber. 

 Shooting is not, however, always productive of satisfac- 

 tory results. If the game is in the water it sinks and 

 is lost upon receiving a mortal wound. A huge baited 

 hook attached to a rope is often employed in capturing 

 crocodiles. A battle royal follows as the captors haul 

 the monster from the sheltering waters. Once it is on 

 the bank, braver members of the party endeavor to 

 noose the limbs and tail, when a spear is plunged to the 

 reptile's vitals — not always bringing a speedy termina- 

 tion of terrific struggles. Warriors of some of the 

 African tribes use the plated hides as an armor. Against 

 javelins and arrows the hide is undoubtedly invulner- 

 able. 



Another of the man-eating saurians is the great Salt- 

 Water Crocodile, C. porosus. The range is exten- 

 sive, embracing India, Ceylon and southern China, the 

 Malay Archipelago, including the Solomon Islands, and 

 North Australia. This extensive distribution, from the 

 shores of Asia, through a maze of islands and across 

 stretches of ocean to Australia, is easily explained: for 

 this denizen of the coast swamps and brackish inlets 

 unhesitatingly takes to sea, making vast excursions from 

 one shore to another. Large and half-grown individ- 

 uals are frequently seen from vessels when out of sight 

 of land. Judging from such reptiles' nonchalant mo- 

 tions, they are in no danger of tiring, or ultimately 

 drowning. The species is easily recognized by a prom- 

 inent ridge in front of each eye. Old examples are 

 dark olive-brown or black. Twenty-foot specimens 

 have been recorded and through the larger islands of 



