28 



THE CROCODILE. 



This curious reptile is one of the largest, if not the very largest of its order, some- 

 times reaching a length of twenty-five feet. As its popular name imports, it is a native 

 of India, and swarms in many of the Indian rivers, the Ganges being greatly infested 

 with its presence. It is a striking animal, the extraordinary length of its muzzle giving 

 it a most singular and rather grotesque aspect. 



This prolongation of the head varies considerably according to the age and sex of the 

 individual. In the young Gavial, for example, just hatched from the egg, the head is 

 short and blunt, and only attains its full development when the creature has reached 

 adult age. The males can be distinguished from the other sex by the shape of the 

 muzzle, which is much smaller at the extremity. There are many teeth, the full com- 

 plement being about one hundred and twenty. They are similar in appearance, and 

 about equal in length. 



The color of this species is dark olive-brown, spotted with black. Several species 

 of African Gavials are known to zoologists, besides the Asiatic animal, but on account 



GAVIAL, OR QANOETIC CROCODILE. Qavlalls Qaogeticus. 



of the different formation of the head, such as the absence of a swollen muzzle in the 

 male, and some important variations in the plates of the neck and back, they are placed 

 in another genus, and termed False Gavials. In the British Museum examples may be 

 found, among which maybe named BENNETT'S GAVIAL (Mecistops Bennettii\ an inhabit- 

 ant of Western Africa, and the False Gavial (Mecistops cataphrctctus). Some naturalists, 

 however, think that these animals are only varieties of the same species. 



WE now arrive at the true Crocodiles, in which the jaws are moderately lengthened, 

 wide, flat, tapering, and rather dilated at the extremities. The most peculiar of these 

 reptiles is the long-celebrated CROCODILE of Northern Africa. 



This terrible creature is found chiefly in the Nile, where it absolutely swarms, and 

 though a most destructive and greatly dreaded animal, is without doubt as valuable in 

 the water as the hyena and vulture upon the land. Living exclusively on animal food, 

 and rather preferring tainted or even putrefying to fresh meat, it is of great service in 

 devouring the dead animals that would otherwise pollute the waters and surrounding 

 atmosphere. 



