REPTILES 447 



breeding -places from afar, reconnoitre the beach carefully, are 

 extremely wary and shy, taking alarm at the slightest disturbance, 

 and at last crawl on land. Well out of the reach of the tide the 

 female scoops out a hole in the sand, deposits about one hundred 

 or more of its round, rather parchment-shelled eggs, covers the 

 nest carefully, obliterating all traces of the dug-out sand, and 

 makes again for the sea by another route. At least they are 

 said to make a sort of circuitous route so that nobody can tell the 

 position of the nest, which may be anywhere beneath the broad 



trail left by the heavy creature on its way from and back to the 



j> 

 sea. 



Tortoises sometimes construct definite homes for themselves, 

 as in the case of the Gopher Tortoise (Testudo polyphemus], 

 a native of the south-eastern part of North America. Each pair 

 live in a rather long burrow, which expands internally into a sort 

 of dwelling-chamber. The eggs are not deposited in this under- 

 ground retreat, but a hole is dug for their reception in the immediate 

 neighbourhood. They are of large size, and only five in number. 



CROCODILES (CROCODILES). All the species of the order are 

 oviparous, and the females lay a considerable number of white 

 eggs, covered with firm calcareous shells. Crocodiles and their 

 kind are much more affectionate than any other reptilian mothers. 



The Nile Crocodile (Crocodilus Niloticus) constructs a nest for 

 her eggs by digging a fairly deep hole in the sand, the floor being 

 larger than the external opening, and somewhat raised in the 

 middle, so that the eggs roll away to the margin. They are from 

 twenty to thirty in number, and are laid in two batches, with a 

 layer of sand between. After all have been deposited the mother 

 fills up the hole, and uses the spot as a sleeping-place, an obviously 

 protective measure. At the end of about three months the young 

 crocodiles hatch out, and they possess a well-developed " egg- 

 tooth " which enables them to break the shell. When ready to 

 make their exit they make a peculiar sound, which has been 

 compared to a hiccough, and it is said that the mother, on hearing 

 this, digs them out of the nest, and leads them to the water. 



This Crocodile also makes a sort of lair by excavating a long 

 burrow in the bank of its native river, the entrance being under 

 water. The roof is ventilated by air-holes, and at the inner end 

 there is a fairly large space, to which the animal is supposed to 

 retreat with its prey for the purpose of enjoying a quiet meal. 



