22 VERTEBRATA. REPTILIA. 



banks of the Nile, the swampy regions of Guiana 

 and Florida, the sunny isles of the West Indies, the 

 tepid jungles of the Eastern Islands teem with in- 

 numerable hosts of Saurian Reptiles. 



The food of these animals is chiefly animal ; small 

 quadrupeds, birds, worms, and insects, according 

 to their size and power. Some, however, are said 

 to feed on fruits. Their digestion is slow, and they 

 eat but seldom. 



CrocodiluSy* the Crocodiles. 



Attaining an immense size, furnished with a coat 

 of mail almost invulnerable, armed with strong and 

 pointed teeth, curved claws, great strength of jaws, 

 and a savage ferocity, these animals have in all ages 

 been regarded with terror as the scourges of the 

 rivers which they inhabit. The body is defended 

 by stout, large scales, ridged down the centre ; the 

 tail is flattened at the sides, and crowned with a 

 notched crest, double at the base : the plates on the 

 belly are thin and smooth. The terror inspired 

 by these Reptiles is increased by the malignity of 

 their countenance, arising from their fiery eyes placed 

 obliquely and near to each other, but more especially 

 from the fact of their serried teeth being always dis- 

 played, as if the creature were animated by a dia- 

 bolical fury, the lips being entirely wanting. It 

 seems, however, that their formidable character has 

 been much overrated, and they are often success- 



* The Greek name of the animal. 



