CHAPTER IV 

 CROCODILES, TURTLES, AND TORTOISES 



OF all the reptiles of Borneo by far the most important, 

 when it is considered in relation to man, is the 

 Crocodile. I explained in a previous chapter that cases 

 of snake-bite in Sarawak were extremely rare, but the 

 Crocodile exacts a considerable annual toll from the 

 native population. Some rivers are positively infested 

 with these grisly creatures, and the Sarawak Govern- 

 ment pays a reward of 36 cents (about 9d.) per foot 

 for every one killed, and a couple of cents for every 

 egg destroyed. At Kuching alone several hundreds of 

 dollars are paid annually for Crocodile rewards. 



The species which occurs in Malayan waters is 

 Crocodilus porosus, and all who have observed it, 

 whether in captivity or in a state of nature, are agreed 

 that of all the Crocodile tribe it is the most savage 

 member. Muggers, Alligators, Caimans are more or 

 less amenable to kind treatment, and may even be- 

 come comparatively tame, but the Malay Crocodile 

 never. 



I have seen a young one, scarcely 4 feet long, which 

 had been brought to the Museum for me to inspect, 



when released from its bonds rush with open jaws at 



105 



