322 THE CROCODILE OF AFRICA. 



even these, in their combined efforts, are insufficient against the prolific 

 races of aquatic and terrestrial reptiles, some formidable by their size 

 and strength, some by their subtlety and venom. The narratives of 

 the adventurous men who have not feared to incur 



" The moving accidents of flood and field," 



in traversing the wild regions of the Ancient World, are full of striking 

 accounts of encounters with these monsters, and of the miseries they 

 inflict upon the countries cursed with their presence. 



" In Afric's sunny clime," flood, and river, and lake are haunted 

 by the loathsome and dangerous Crocodile (Lacerta crocodilus), one of 

 the most powerful species of the Saurian race. Though he preys 

 chiefly on fish, his capacious jaws will devour any animal that comes 

 within their reach ; and when one reflects that he often attains the 

 length of twenty to thirty feet, that the upper part of his body is 

 clothed with an almost impenetrable scaly armour, that his long, oar- 

 like tail is of immense strength, one can readily comprehend the vast 

 amount of destruction such a monster can effect. Happily his move- 

 ments on land are impeded by the unwieldiness of his body, which 

 prevents him from turning except with great difficulty, and enables 

 his intended victims to effect their escape. In the water, however, 

 he glides along with great rapidity. 



The female deposits her eggs, which are not much larger than 

 those of a goose, in the sand or mud near the banks of the rivers or 

 streams which she frequents. By a beneficent provision of Nature, 

 the young are largely devoured by birds, ichneumons, and other 

 animals, preventing their otherwise rapid increase. The colour of a 

 full-grown crocodile is a blackish-brown above and yellowish-white 

 beneath, the upper parts of the legs and sides being relieved by 

 shades of deep yellow, and in some places tinged with green. The 

 mouth is of vast width, and both jaws bristle with a terrible array 

 of sharp-pointed teeth. 



The African species all belong to the same genus, of which the 

 Crocodile of the Nile is the type. 



