234 CROCODILE. 



The male pipal is considerably larger than the female. 

 Hideous as these creatures are, they are, probably, 

 entirely harmless ; though we are told of very malignant 

 effects resulting from their powder, when calcined. 



THE CROCODILE. 



This is the largest and most formidable animal of the 

 lizard genus ; frequently exceeding twenty feet in length, 

 and five feet in circumference. The fore-legs have the 

 same parts and conformation as the arms of a man, but 

 are somewhat shorter than those behind ; the head is long, 

 and the eyes are small. The general colour is a dark 

 brown on the upper part, and a whitish citron below ; 

 with large spots of both colours on the sides. The skin 

 is defended by a suit of armour, almost impenetrable to a 

 musket-ball. The female deposits her eggs in the sand, 

 and leaves them to be hatched by the heat of the sun. 



The crocodile is a very dangerous and terrible animal. 

 It abounds in the Nile, the Niger, the Ganges, and other 

 great rivers of Asia, Africa, and America. In Upper 

 Egypt it is extremely destructive ; lying in wait near the 

 brink of the Nile for animals that come to drink ; and 

 sparing neither man nor the fiercest quadrupeds that come 

 within its reach. It seizes the victim with a spring ; and 

 draws it into the water, where it devours it at leisure. < 

 Sometimes the wounded captive makes its escape, when 

 the crocodile pursues with much greater celerity than '/ 

 might be expected from its unweildy form. It is capable I 

 of mastering even the tiger, which often struggles in vain 

 against such a potent adversary. 



The natives of some countries, however, pursue the 

 crocodile for the sake of its flesh, of which they are ex- 

 tremely fond ; nor are its eggs reckoned a less delicious 

 treat by some palates. This helps to diminish its num- 

 bers ; but all the arts of annoyance which man is master 

 of would be ineffectual, did not every beast and bird of 

 prey, particularly the ichneumon and the ibis, conspire 

 to devour the eggs and young with unremitting assiduity. 



