271 



he conceived to be the common crocodile of Egypt, and the other the 

 Suchos, the sacred crocodile of Thebes. This opinion was strongly cor- 

 roborated by the skull of this animal, contained in some of the mummies 

 found in the ruins of this celebrated city, and by a well-prepared spe- 

 cimen of an animal of this species. M. Cuvier himself, although doubt- 

 ing as to M. Geoffrey's employing the word sitchus in the same sense as the 

 ancients did, is satisfied that a difference exists between some of the cro- 

 codiles of Egypt, sufficient to allow of admitting the existence of a race, 

 if not a species, distinct from the common crocodile of the Nile. 



Aided by the observations of M. Geoffroy, and by the anatomical 

 examination of the crocodile of St. Domingo by M. Descourtils, who dis- 

 sected more than forty of this species; and availing himself of the oppor- 

 tunity of examining nearly sixty animals of this genus, of both sexes, 

 and of different ages and sizes, from their passing out of the egg to the 

 length of twelve or fifteen feet, arid examining anew the different works 

 which had been written on this animal, M. Cuvier considered himself as 

 authorized in arranging these animals in the following order : 



The following characters: conical teeth, in a single row a broad 

 fleshy tongue, affixed to the mouth a compressed tail, carinated and 

 serrated on its upper part palmated or semipal mated feet and broad 

 and nearly square scales on the back, belly, and tail ; he considers as 

 forming the genus CROCODILE, of the order Sauri, in the class Am- 

 phibia. This genus he considers as divisible into three sub-genera : 

 I. Alligators (caimans). The head oblong, but its length being to its 

 breadth not more than as three to two the fourth lower tooth on 

 each side being received in a pit in the upper jaw the feet semipal- 

 mated. Under this sub-genus he places the following four species : 

 C. Indus, C. sclerops, C. palpebrosus, and C. trigonatus. II. Crocodiles. 

 The length of the head double that of its width, the jaws being oblong 

 the fourth lower tooth on each side passing through a notch on each side 

 of the upper jaw the feet palmated. Under this sub-genus he disposes 

 C. vulgar is, C. biporcatus, C. rhombifer, C. galeatus, C. biscutatus, and C, 



