EXISTING CROCODILES 2383 



culty that the unfortunate man Williams, who ultimately died of his wounds, was 

 brought to the bank. 



The Siamese crocodile (C. siamensis}, inhabiting Siam, Cambodia, 

 l _ and Java, may be distinguished from the preceding species by the pres- 

 ence of a longitudinal ridge on the skull between the eyes, although 

 the snout is smooth. It agrees with the latter in having the anterior bony plates 

 of the neck well developed, these being usually absent in the estuarine crocodile. 



The last member of this group is the sharp-nosed crocodile (C. 



americamis} of Central America, which has a longer and sharper muz- 

 Crocodile 



zle than any of the preceding, and is further characterized by the 



presence of a distinct median ridge running down the snout. There are usually 

 four large bony plates on the neck, forming a square, with a smaller pair on the 

 sides of the front ones; while the plates of the back are arranged in fifteen or six- 

 teen transverse rows, and in either four or six longitudinal bands. In the fore- 

 limb the second and third toes are but slightly webbed, while the outer toes of the 

 hind-foot are united by larger webs. In coloration the adult is blackish olive 

 above, and yellowish beneath; while the young are pale olive with black spots. In 

 addition to being widely distributed in Central America and the adjacent regions, 

 such as Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, and Florida, this crocodile is also met with 

 in the West-Indian islands. 



Nearly allied to the last, although with a still longer and more slender 



snout, is the Orinoco crocodile (C. intermedius} . which is referred by 

 Crocodile 



Mr. Boulenger to a third group, characterized by their very slender 



and garial-like snouts, of which the length is equal to at least twice the basal 

 breadth; and also by the bony union between the two branches of the lower jaw 

 extending as far back as the sixth, seventh, or eighth tooth, instead of stopping 

 short at the fifth. In this particular species the snout, which has no ridges, varies 

 in length from twice to twice and a half the width at the base; while the six bony 

 plates on the neck are widely separated from those of the back, and are arranged 

 in a square of four, with a pair on the sides. The color is olive above and yellowish 

 beneath, while in both this and the preceding species the length is about thirteen 

 feet. The Orinoco crocodile appears to be confined to the river from which it 

 takes its name and its affluents. The best accounts of the Orinoco and sharp- 

 nosed crocodile are by Humboldt,. who states that these reptiles swarm on the 

 Apure, where they may often be seen in parties of eight or ten lying on the open 

 space between the shore of the river and the forest. At the time of his journey 

 the river was, however, still low, and consequently hundreds of crocodiles were 

 lying concealed beneath the mud of the adjacent lowlands. In the stomach of one 

 that was opened were found a half-digested fish and a granite pebble; the latter 

 having probably been swallowed inadvertently while the animal was groping about 

 in the mud in search of food. In spite of their comparatively-slender jaws, these 

 crocodiles frequently seize the natives while stooping to draw water from the river. 

 A large portion of their prey is, however, afforded by the defenseless carpinchos, 

 which are met with in droves of from fifty to sixty head, and fall victims to the 

 jaguars on land and to the crocodiles in the water. In their young state when 



