268 CROCODILES. 



seen the animal near there, and they recognized on the 

 other shore, where he had gone at once, the agitation 

 produced hy his efforts in swallowing his prey." 



I must remark, nevertheless, that crocodiles are 

 said not to be able to swallow in the water, and it 

 is so stated by Mr. Milne Edwards in his " Elements 

 of Zoology." 



M. Tremeaux relates still, as an eye-witness, an 

 accident which was comic, but which might easily 

 have turned out serious. 



" It was near Chendy, on our return. One of the 

 Russians, a servant of Colonel Kovalwski, was sitting 

 on a bank by the river, his legs dangling in the water ; 

 he was engaged in washing his feet. All at once 

 he was seen cutting a caper backwards, as if he had 

 been suddenly hurled by a powerful shock. He had 

 described a complete somersault, and found himself 

 sitting on the ground pretty far back. The crocodile 

 had prowled up cunningly, and by slow movements, 

 in front of him. On suddenly perceiving him, the man 

 had not had time to retire. A powerful blow with 

 his tall, by which the monster had endeavoured 

 to throw him into the water, succeeded only in causing 

 him to describe the pirouette we saw." 



Let us now return to Mr. Combes, according to whom 

 the ferocity of the crocodile has been much exagge- 



