T H E C R O C O D I L E. 151 



Of this terrible animal there are three kinds; the Green Crocodile, 

 Cayman, or Alligator ; for in figure and nature thefe are the fame; the 

 Black Crocodile ; and that of the Ganges. 



This animal is fometimes found thirty feet long; its mod Ufual length 

 is eighteen or twenty. In one of this length, thetail exceeds five feet; 

 the head and neck near three feet; the circumference five feet. The fore 

 legs rcfemble the arms of a m.an, both within and without; have five fin- 

 gers of a conical figure. The hinderlegs, including the thigh and paw, 

 two feet two inches ; the paws, from the joint to the extremity of the 

 longed claws, ten inches; of the four toes, three have large claws, the 

 longeft two inches; thefe toes are united by a membrane, likethofe of a 

 duck, but much thicker. The head is long, at the top a little rifing, 

 the reft flat, efpecially towards the extremity of the jaws, covered by a 

 fkin adhering firmly to the fknll and jaws. The fkull is rough and un- 

 equal; about the middle of the forehead two bony crcfts, two inches 

 high : the {kull between thefe is proof againft a mufquet ball. The eye 

 very fmall, and fo placed in its orbit, that the outward part, when the 

 lid is clofed, is only an inch long, running parallel to the opening of the 

 jaws: has a double lid, one within and one without: that within, like the 

 nictitating membrane of birds, folds in the great corner of the eye, is 

 tranfparent. The iris large in proportion to the eyes ; yellowilh grey; the 

 eyes fparkling, and near each other, placed obliquely. Above the eye is 

 the ear, not unlike in form to a brow. The nofe is in the middle of the 

 upper jaw, near its extremity, perfectly round and flat, two inches in dia- 

 meter, of a black, fofc, fpongy fubftance, not unlike the nofe of a dog. 

 The jaws feem to fhut one within another; the under jaw only moves, 

 and only with a ftraight down motion;, twenty-feven cutting teeth in the 

 upper jaw, fometimes thirty-fix ; fifteen in the lower, fometimes 

 thirty, with feveral void fpaces between them : thick at the bot- 

 tom, iharp at the point, of different fizes, except ten large hook- 

 ed ones, fix of which in the lower jaw, and four in the upper; the 

 mouth fifteen inches long, nine in breadth, opens beyond the ears; 

 could eafily take in the body of a man. The body a dark brown on the 

 upper part, a whitifli citron below, with large fpots of both colours on 

 the fides. From the ftioulders to the tail a covering of large fcales, 

 fquare, fifty-two in number ; thofe near the tail not fo thick as the 

 reft. The creature has all over it a coat of armour; not every where 

 proof againft a mufquet ball, efpecially under the belly. The gullet large. 

 The tongue a thick, fpongy, foft flelh, ftrongly conne(5led to the lower 



C c 2 jaw 



