32 



THE MARSH CROCODILE. 



of water. It fled to a shallow pool almost dried by the sun, and thrusting its head into 

 the mud till it covered up its eyes, it remained unmoved in profound conh'dence of perfect 

 concealment. 



" Some years ago, during the progress of the pearl fishery, Sir Robert Wilmot Hoi-ton 

 employed men to drag for Crocodiles in a pond which was infested with them in the immediate 

 vicinity of Aripo. The pool was about fifty yards in length by ten or twelve wide, shallowing 

 gradually to the edge, and not exceeding four or five feet in the deepest part. 



"As the party approached the pond, from twenty to thirty reptiles, which had been 

 basking in the sun, rose and fled to the water. A net, specially weighted so as to sink 

 its lower edge to the bottom, was then stretched from bank to bank, and swept to the farther 

 end of the pond, followed by a line of men with poles to drive the Crocodiles forward. So 



INDIAN CROCODILE. Crooodtiut ponmu. 



complete was the arrangement, that no individual could avoid the net ; yet, to the astonish- 

 ment of the governor's party, not one was to be found when it was drawn on shore, and 

 no means of escape was apparent or possible, except dashing into the mud at the bottom of 

 the pond." 



The extreme tenacity of life possessed by these reptiles is well exemplified, though in a 

 rather painful manner, by an incident which occurred in Ceylon. A fine specimen had been 

 caught by a hook, to all appearance killed, the viscera removed, and the aperture kept open 

 by a stick placed across it. A few hours afterwards the men came to their victim with the 

 intention of cutting off the head, but were much surprised to find the spot vacant. On exam- 

 ination of the locality, it was evident that the creature had recovered itself in some strange 

 manner, crawled away for some distance, and made its escape into the water. 



The same author also describes the habits of another species, the MARSH CROCODILE 

 (Orocodilus palustris), sometimes known by the names of MUGGER, or GOA ; an animal which 

 has a large range of locality, being found in Asia and Australia. Sometimes this species grows 



