1 64 Crocodiles. 



stories extant that it would be easy to fill a volume 

 with them. We only propose, however, on the 

 present occasion, to notice two of the best known 

 and most generally believed. That which related 

 the method of attack supposed to be adopted by 

 the ichneumon on his enemy the crocodile was 

 found in grave works on natural history so late 

 as the end of the last century, as it is set out in 

 full in the pages of Dr. Brookes's "History of 

 Quadrupedes," though it is only fair to that erudite 

 author to add that he says, " We know that it must 

 be false." Holland in his translation of Pliny's 

 " Natural History/' referred to above, gives the 

 story as follows : " When he [the crocodile] hath 

 filled his belly with fishes, he lieth to sleep upon 

 the sands in the shore : and for that he is a great 

 and greedie devourer, somewhat of the meat 

 sticketh evermore between his teeth, in regard 

 whereof commeth the wren, a little bird called 

 there Trochilos, and the king of birds in Italy : and 

 shee for her victuals' sake, hoppeth first about his 

 mouth, falleth to pecking or picking it with her 

 little neb or bill, and so forward to the teeth which 

 he cleanseth, and all to make him gap. Then 

 gefcteth shee within his mouth, which he openeth 

 the wider, by reason that he taketh so great delight 

 in this her scraping and scouring of his teeth and 

 chaws. Now when he is lulled as it were fast 

 asleep with this pleasure and contentment of his : 

 the rat of India, or Ichneumon above-said, spieth 

 his vantage and seeing him lye thus broad gaping, 



