170 Crocodiles. 



very back of the skull, thus giving the animal its 

 extraordinary gape, and also the peculiar appear- 

 ance which caused the notion that it moved its 

 upper jaw. 



Though in the foregoing remarks we have barely 

 touched the fringe of crocodile lore, space will not 

 permit us to do more than draw attention to the 

 fact that at the present time the reptile house at 

 the Zoo is more than usually well furnished with 

 crocodiles and alligators, ranging in size from mere 

 babies of a few inches in length to the well-known 

 Mississippi alligator, which has lived in the gardens 

 for more than eight years, and is now about 1 1 feet 

 long, and has by no means done growing. The 

 collection includes at least one specimen of the 

 hill crocodile, and two of the recently discovered 

 Chinese alligators. In conclusion, we may observe 

 that these animals are not always the quiet, voice- 

 less creatures that they generally seem to be, but 

 that on occasion they can and do hold an extremely 

 noisy, roaring concert. 



