264 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS CHAP. 



hud kept the head as a trophy ; and the cow was regarded as a 

 heroine. 



I was a sjKJctator upon one occasion when a very large crocodile 

 seized a bullock and pulled it into deep water ; several times the 

 animal in its straggles could be seen upon the surface, although the 

 head was held beneath by the steady grasp of the captor: at 

 length all disappeared except the tail of the ox, which twisted 

 and writhed convulsively in the air like a wounded snake. In 

 about two minutes it ceased to move, and the entire body floated, 

 drowned, while the long head of the triumphant crocodile rose 

 alongside, and quietly contemplated its victim. 



There can be no doubt that crocodiles can see beneath the 

 water to a considerable distance, should it be clear ; on the other 

 hand, they rarely discover their prey in this manner, but, perhaps 

 unseen, the reptile's projecting eyes are just above the surface at 

 some little distance, aud it sees an animal upon the bank, so near 

 the margin that it can easily be surprised. The crocodile then 

 sinks, and approaches beneath the water, until it ventures upon 

 another stealthy peep from a closer distance. When certain of the 

 position it sinks again, and swimming until within reach of the 

 unsuspicious object, it makes a sudden rush with extraordinary 

 velocity, and generally succeeds in snapping its prey within those 

 merciless jaws from which there is no escape. 



It is always dangerous either to sit or stand upon the extreme 

 edge of a precipitous bank, unless many feet above a river. Should 

 a crocodile be unable to reach an object with its jaws, it will 

 frequently strike with the tail so suddenly that the animal or 

 person is tripped up, and knocked into the water, to be instantly 

 seized by the teeth and carried off. I have watched upon many 

 occasions the stealthy advance of a crocodile to capture small birds, 

 when in flights of many thousands they have settled upon the 

 yielding branches of dwarf willows overhanging the Atbara river. 

 The elastic boughs bent down beneath the weight of the innumer- 

 able flock, and the crocodile's head appeared above the surface at 

 a distance, sank below, and quickly reappeared (the eyes and 

 crown alone above the water) within 10 yards of the unsuspecting 

 birds, all of which were busily engaged in twittering excitement, 

 quarrelling for places, and occasionally dipping their beaks in the 

 water when the bending twigs permitted them to drink. In a few 

 moments after the disappearance of the wary eyes, a tremendous 

 splash was accompanied by a pair of open jaws, which swept the 

 occupants of the lower branches into the greedy throat. This 

 artful attack was frequently repeated, and generally with success. 



