CROCODILES. 141 



CROCODILES. 



The Shielded Saurians, as Dumeril designates the largest of 

 living species of that order of reptiles, have the body depressed, 

 elongated, and protected on the back with a solid carinated 

 shield or buckler ; the tail longer than the trunk, compressed 

 laterally, annulated and crested above ; having four very short 

 feet ; the toes of the posterior feet united, or web-footed, each foot 

 having three claws only; head depressed and elongated into a 

 muzzle ; the gape of the mouth extending back beyond the skull ; 

 tongue fleshy, adherent ; teeth conical, simple, hollowed at the base 

 or towards the root, unequal in length, and in a single row. Such 

 is a brief summary of the family by Dumeril and Bibron. 



If the Eagle is the king of the air, the Tiger and the Lion the 

 tyrants of the forests, and the Whale the monarch of the deep, 

 the Crocodile has for the exercise of his undisputed control the 

 maritime shores of tropical seas and the borders of tropical rivers. 

 Living on the confines of land and water, this formidable rep- 

 tile is at all times the scourge of those human beings who are 

 compelled to reside near its haunts. Much larger than the Tiger, 

 Lion, or Eagle, the Crocodile surpasses all terrestrial animals, 

 with the exception of the Elephant, Hippopotamus, and some 

 Serpents, in its power of destruction. 



Crocodiles have the head depressed and elongated into a muzzle, 

 in the front of which the nostrils are seen close to a fleshy tuber- 

 cule, and furnished with movable valves. The mouth opens up to 

 the ears ; the jaws are of commensurate length, and are armed, as 

 we have seen, with conical- pointed teeth, bent back, and disposed 

 ' in such a manner that when the mouth is closed they pass one 

 under the other. These teeth are implanted in a single row, and 

 continually maintained in a good condition by an organic system 

 I which ensures their immediate reparation. In short, each tooth is 

 hollowed at the base in such a manner as to form the cell or sheath 

 of another tooth of a larger calibre. The new tooth, which presses 

 on, exercises a sort of absorption upon the base of the old hollow 

 tooth, so that the first is developed while the second is decaying. 

 In some species the front teeth of the lower jaw are so long and 





