THE GAVIAL AND THE TIGER. 



333 



its long lizard-like tail, resting on short legs, stamp them with 

 a peculiar frightfulness, and proclaim the baseness of their 

 instincts. 



The short-snouted, broad-headed Alligators, or Caymen, be- 

 long to the New World ; the Gravials, distinguished by their 

 straight, long, and narrow jaw, are exclusively Indian; while 

 the oblong-headed Crocodiles are not only found in Africa and 

 Asia, but likewise infest the swamps and rivers of America. 

 All these animals, however, though different in form and name, 

 have everywhere similar habits and manners ; so that, in general, 

 what is remarked of the one may be applied to the others. 



ALLIGATOR. 



Formed for an aquatic life they are very active in the water, 

 darting along with great rapidity by means of their strong- 

 muscular tail and their webbed hind feet. They sometimes 

 bask in the sunbeams on the banks of the rivers, but oftener 

 float on the surface, where, concealing their head and feet, they 

 appear like the rough trunk of a tree, both in shape and 

 colour, and thus are enabled the more easily to deceive and 

 catch their prey. 



In America, many a slow-paced Capybara, or water-pig, 

 coming in the dusk of evening to slake its thirst in the lagune, 

 has been suddenly seized by an insidious Alligator ; and the 

 Grangetic Gavial is said to make even the tiger his prey. When 

 the latter quits the thick cover of the jungle to drink at the 

 stream, the Gavial, concealed under water, steals along the 

 bank, and, suddenly emerging, furiously attacks the tiger, 

 who never declines the combat ; and though in the struggle 

 the Gavial frequently loses his eyes and receives dreadful wounds 

 on the head, he at length drags his adversary into the water, 

 and there devours him.* 



* Forbes' ' Oriental Memories,' vol. i. p. 357. 



