ALLIGATORS. 137 
before, so that afterwards those swimming in the river, or even 
bathing on its banks, were exposed to imminent danger.” 
Natives of Africa shoot the Crocodile, or attack it with a barbed 
javelin, which is thrown by hand, and aimed at the fore-shoulder. 
Some Egyptians are reported to be daring enough to swim under the 
Crocodile, and pierce him in the belly with a dagger. The negroes 
of Senegal are said to be equally expert. If they surprise the animals 
in parts of the river where there is not sufficient water for them to 
swim, they attack the monster with a lance, commencing the assault 
by aiming with their weapon at their enemy’s eyes and throat; then 
they thrust their arm, encased in leather, into its mouth, hold it open 
till their enemy is either suffocated or expires under its wounds. 
Traps are also employed successfully for their destruction. In Egypt 
the natives dig a deep hole in the ordinary route of the Crocodile, 
which is easily discovered by the trail they leave in the sand—this 
is covered with branches and earth, which falls in when trodden 
upon ; the captive is then killed, often with the most brutal cruelty. 
At other times a thick cord is attached to a tree, at the other end of 
which a lamb is held by a hook. ‘The cries of the lamb attract the 
Crocodile, which, in its attempt to carry off the bait, is taken. 
Still another method for the destruction of these repulsive-looking 
creatures has been adopted by Englishmen in India. A dead animal 
is procured, in its abdomen is placed a loaded shell, to which is 
attached a wire made fast to an electric battery; when the bait has 
been seized and carried to the bottom, the shell is exploded, and 
invariably maims or kills the crocodile. 
The Gavials have long narrow cylindrical muzzles, slightly 
inflated at the extremity; the teeth are almost the same, both in 
number and shape, on each jaw, the two first and the fourth of the 
lower jaw pass into notches or indentations in the upper jaw; the 
hind legs are dentated and palmated. ‘The Gavials are chiefly 
remarkable for their long head, its type being the Gavzal of the Ganges. 
It is of a deep watery green colour, having on the upper part nume- 
rous irregular brown spots ; in the young, the back and limbs are 
transversely banded with black; the lower part is of a pale whitish 
yellow ; the jaws are marked with brown, the claws are of a clear horn 
colour. This species is not so carnivoivus as the others, and is con- 
sequently less dreaded. 
The Gavial of the Ganges (G. gangeiicus) is supposed to be the 
largest of the existing Saurians; its length, as given by Dumeéril, is 
- seventeen feet four inches.* 
* This length is frequently exceeded. * 
