The Crocodile Bird. 49 



to it the habit of attending crocodiles, and of 

 feeding in their open mouths. At least two naturalists 

 in modern times have actually observed the bird thus 

 act. Some ornithologists, however, are disinclined to 

 believe that it does really enter the crocodile's mouth, 

 and suggest that when a crocodile is lying with its mouth 

 wide open, a bird running about on the sand behind 

 the mouth would appear at a little distance to be 

 actually between the reptile's jaws. However this may 

 be it seems a pity now to discredit a habit which has 

 made the " crocodile bird " a celebrity for so long a time. 

 I am sorry to be unable to give any evidence on the sub- 

 ject. The bird was very common along the banks of the 

 White Nile, and we much admired its rapid and graceful 

 actions and its beautiful plumage of delicate blue-grey 

 marked with white and black, but we never saw it near 

 enough to a crocodile even to suspect it of engaging in 

 the laborious and risky task of picking the reptile's 

 numerous and merciless teeth. 



