ON KEPTILES. 115 



the margin of the river. I stopped the boat 

 at some distance, and noting the place as well 

 as I could, I took a circuit inland, and came 

 down cautiously to the top of the bank, whence 

 with a heavy rifle I made sure of my ugly game. 

 I then peeped over the bank, and there he was, 

 within ten feet of the sight of the rifle. I was 

 on the point of firing at his eye, when I ob- 

 served he was attended by a bird called a ziczac. 

 It is a species of plover, and as large as a small 

 pigeon. The bird was walking up and down 

 close to the crocodile's nose. I suppose I moved, 

 for suddenly it saw me, and instead of flying 

 away, jumped up about a foot from the ground, 

 screamed " Ziczac ! Ziczac ! " with all the powers 

 of his voice, and dashed himself against the cro- 

 codile's face two or three times. The great beast 

 started up, and immediately spying his danger, 

 made a jump up, and dashing into the water 

 with a splash which covered me with mud, he 

 dived into the river and disappeared. The bird, 

 proud apparently of having saved his friend, 

 remained walking up and down uttering his cry 

 with an exulting voice, and standing every now 

 and then on the tips of his toes in a conceited 

 manner." The circumstance of the crocodile 



