DISTRIBUTION OF ANIMALS. 



579 



shallow inlets of the sea on the Malacca coast. Both species attain the length of ten or 

 twelve feet, and are herbivorous, browsing on the fuci and algee found at the bottom of 

 the waters, in much the same manner as the cow does upon the grass of the field. 



Among tellurian animals the class of Reptiles is the lowest grade. It includes 

 some of the most dangerous members of the animal kingdom, as well as the most revolting 

 in their appearance. The tortoise, one of this family, occurs in abundance in tropical 

 situations, and sometimes strays into higher latitudes, either voluntarily, attracted by 

 a supply of food, or driven by the force of the tempest. Two instances are recorded 

 of its appearance on the coast of Cornwall in the year 1756, and one was taken from the 

 Severn in 1774. In the lizard division of this class, the crocodile of the Nile, the cayman 

 of South America, and the gavial of the Ganges, are the giants, specifically distinct, and 

 differing also in their size and powers of destruction. The Nilotic crocodile is the 

 largest, sometimes attaining, when full grown, the length of thirty feet. These saurians 

 have their home in the tropical pools and rivers, occasionally visiting the shore in 

 search of prey, or bask in the sunbeams ; but the South American species, in calm 

 weather, make excursions into the open sea, an important fact for 

 the geologist to note, on account of the mingling of marine and 

 fresh- water organic remains observable in some of the more re- 

 cent deposits. The gavial of the Ganges likewise sometimes de- 

 scends below the delta of the river into the Bay of Bengal, and it 

 is not unlikely, that in such circumstances, the currents of the 

 ocean may forbid a return, enforce migration to an opposite shore, 

 which the animal may reach while alive, and thus contribute to 

 the diffusion of the species. Malte Brun states, that a crocodile is 

 still preserved at Lyons, that was taken from the Rhone about 

 two centuries ago, having accomplished the passage of the sea from 

 the African coast. Of the genera of serpents of the poisonous 

 kind, America has the rattle-snake, Asia the hooded snake or cabro 

 di capello, and Africa the horned snake or Cerastes, the latter pro- 

 bably the asp, which the beautiful, voluptuous, and disappointed 

 Cleopatra selected as the instrument of her death. These are 

 chiefly tropical, and in general it will be found correct, that as we 

 proceed from the equator towards the poles, serpents diminish in 

 number and magnitude, as well as become com- 

 paratively innocuous. There are three species of 

 snakes common in England, one of which, the 

 viper, is venomous ; and it is somewhat re- 

 markable, that none of these, nor the toad, 

 are found in Ireland, for which, ac- 

 cording to a Eomish legend, that country 

 is indebted to the 

 exorcising powers 

 of St. Patrick. The 

 largest of the ser- 

 pent tribe, the 

 - occidental boa 

 and the orien- 

 tal pythus, sometimes 

 exceed thirty feet in 

 length, destroying the 



