The Biology of the Crocodiha 43 



length. It is said to be easily recognized by the 

 prominent, longitudinal ridge that extends in 

 front of each eye, over the prefrontal bone, and by 

 the absence of the suboccipital scutes. 



It is typically an inhabitant of tidal waters and 

 is sometimes found swimming at sea, out of sight 

 of land ; it seldom goes inland to any great distance 

 from the sea. It is a man-eating species and many 

 human lives are said to be destroyed by it in India 

 and surrounding countries. A British "blue book" 

 states that in British India 244 deaths were caused 

 by Crocodilia in the year 1910. 



In captivity it is savage and untamable. Dit- 

 mars, in speaking of three specimens that he had 

 in captivity, says they were "positively the most 

 vicious reptiles ' ' he had ever seen. 



The Indian Gavial, Gavialis gangeticus 



This animal, which inhabits the Ganges and 

 other rivers of northern India, is, with the possible 

 exception of the preceding species, the largest of 

 the Crocodilia ; it is said to reach a length of thirty 

 feet, which is twice that of a very large Florida 

 alligator. As previously noted its snout is ex- 

 tremely long and narrow (Figs. 13 and 14), with a 

 large, fleshy hump at the tip, that projects above 

 the muddy water in which the animal lies concealed. 



It is a timid animal and, in spite of its huge size, 

 dashes quickly into the water on the approach of 



