238 CROCODILES AND CAYMANS. 



Should you happen to encounter one of the croco- 

 dilian species on your journey, you are now in a 

 position to determine at once to what species your 

 friend belongs, whether he is a cayman, crocodile, 

 or gavial. 



The caymans belong to America, gavials to Asia, 

 and crocodiles to America, Asia, Africa, and Oceanica. 



All are inhabitants of hot regions, some even are 

 found in the hot almost boiling mineral waters 

 of Florida. The greater part live in the soft waters 

 of rivers and lakes. A small number frequent the 

 sea. Europe and Australia* are exempt. 



II. NUMBERS. 



COUNT FORBIN, in his "Voyage a Siam," cays that 

 he saw a great number in the neighbourhood of 

 Bancok. 



"The rivers of Java, both at their mouths and in 

 the interior, are infested/' says Thunberg ("Voyages 

 en Japon"), "with crocodiles of a monstrous size. 

 Often in my botanic excursions I saw them asleep 

 in the sun." 



* Alligators were found in the river Burdeldn, North Aus- 

 tralia, by McKinlay, some of "which were nearly twenty feet 

 long. TRANSLATOR. 



