21 



hatclicil, wliich takes place five weeks after tlie nest is made, by the agency of solar heat alone. 

 The young are seen following the mother through the water like a brood of chickens following a 

 hen. By a wise dispensation of Providence the male crocodile is an unnatural parent, and often 

 devours liis own offsjiring, which, together witli tlie fact that they are eagerly sought by hawks 

 and otiier birds of prey prevents their undue nuiltijilication, otherwise, as each female lays from 50 

 to over 100 eggs, crocodiles would be too plentiful to allow of othei' inhabitants of the parts they 

 frequent. The eggs, together with specimens of the newly-hatched baby c'rocodile, wU be seen on 

 a shelf at the centre pane of the front of the den. The North Queensland blacks, and also the 

 Solomon Islanders, consider crocodiles' eggs a bonne hoache, and the further they are advanced 

 towards maturity the better they like them. On the other hand, nature provides its own revenges, 

 for old-man crocodile is very fond of young black, male or female. They also like dog. In the 

 Queensland rivers, however, their principal food is fish. Those in the Aquarium are fed on beef, 

 liver, and rabbit ; the latter is their favorite fooil ; they are also extremely fond of live eels, but 

 economy prevents the frequent gratification f)f their a]ipetites with this delicacy, whilst humane 



motives and the 

 Society for the 

 Prevention of 

 Cruelty to Ani- 

 mals bars the 

 crocodile den be- 

 coming the re- 

 ceptacle for all 



SKELETON OF CROCODILE. \\^Q Stlay mOU- 



When killed their stomachs contain quite a small curiosity shop 

 stones of all sizes, nails, bits of fencing wire, &c., &c. The case 

 containing these c;in be seen in the Fisheries (.'ourt. The hwgest specimen which has been kept 

 in the Aquarium was 10 feet long, and is now e.Khibited stuffed in the Museum. 



In close proximity can be examined the perfect skeleton of a somewhat smaller reptile. The 

 skin is very tough, but has been erroneously stated to be bullet-proof. This belief has arisen from 

 the fact that each excrescence on the skin is caused by the presence underneath it of a flat hard 



grels of the neighbourhood, 

 in the wav of odds and ends, 



SLEEPIMi CROCODILE. 



