THE ALLIGATOR AND 

 ITS ALLIES 



CHAPTER I 



the biology of the crocodilia 

 Classification 



AS in most groups of animals, there is con- 

 siderable difference of opinion as to the 

 proper classification of the Crocodilia. 



One of the older textbooks (Claus and Sedgwick) 

 divides the order Crocodilia into three sub-orders: 

 the Teleosauria, Steneosauria, and ProccBlia, the 

 last only being represented by living forms. The 

 Procoelia or Crocodilia proper are divided into 

 three families, — the Crocodilid<B, the Alligatoridcs- 

 (including the caiman as well as the alligator), 

 and the Gavialidcc. 



This division into families seems to be based 

 mainly on the shape of the head, or, at any rate, 

 it throws those forms together that have heads 

 of the same outline. 



