MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 157 



C. porosus, Schneid., Hist. Amph. 11, p. 159 ; Gunth., Rept. Brit. Irtd., p. 62 ; 

 Theobald, Cat., p. 36 ; Boulenger, Cat. Chel., &c.,p. 284 ; Cantor, Mai. Kept., 

 p. 16. Oopholus porosus, Gray, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., 1862, vol. x, p. 267 • 

 <J. bifurcatus, Cuv. Oss, Fossiles, and Schleg. Krokod. Ind. Archipel., tab. 3. 



In this species, the snout (that is, the portion in front of the orbits) is from 

 ■one and two-thirds to two and a quarter times as long as it is broad. There 

 -are well-marked ridges in front of the eye, which converge towards each 

 other. The pre-maxillo maxillary suture on the palate is directed backwards 

 and is W-shaped as shown in the above diagram of the jaw of C. porosus 

 Post- occipital scutes usually absent, sometimes small and irregular. Four 

 large nuchal scutes forming a square with smaller ones on each side The 

 dorsal shield is well separated from the nuchal, and the scutes generally are 

 feebly keeled as compared with C. palustris. When adult, there are only four 

 teeth in the upper jaw from the median line to the notch ; but in young 

 specimens there are five. 



C. porosus is said to be the species that so often carries off people from 

 the bathing ghats on the Ganges and Hoogly ; and it is not certain that this 

 species is found above the tidal way in rivers, but it is frequently recorded as 

 being found some distance out at sea. It is distributed throughout the larger 

 northern rivers in India, and in tideways in Ceylon, also in Southern China 

 and Northern Australia. So long ago as July 27, 1872, a correspondent 

 " O. N. M.," described in the Field his shooting this species in North Queens- 

 land, and finding its nest ; and on Sept. 4, 1869, Mr. Tegetmeier communicated 

 an account by the Rev. Mr. Boake of its nest in Ceylon, composed of weeds the 

 fermentation of which gives heat enough to hatch the eggs. During incuba- 

 tion the female lies in the vicinity of the nest, and both in Ceylon and North 

 ■Queensland is recorded to have made determined attacks on anyone approach- 

 ing the nest. In some cases, from the number of eggs found, it appears 

 probable that more than one female lays in the same nest. In the Madras 

 Presidency I have only found C. porosus at Cuddalore on the east coast and in 

 North Travancore. The only specimen I got from the Godavery river was 

 C. palustris. 



To sum up, we find in India the garial or gavial of the Ganges with an 

 enormously elongated snout, which cannot be mistaken. C. porosus with 

 comparatively long head (the snout being from lfft. to 2£ft. in length) 

 when compared with its breadth ; two ridges in front of the eye which con- 

 verge towards each other, but do not meet. Post occipital scutes usually 

 absent, sometimes small and irregular, four large nuchal scutes forming a 

 square with smaller ones on each side, making a group of six in all : the dorsal 

 shield well separated from the nuchal, and the scutes generally much more 

 feebly keeled than in C. palustris. In the adult there are only four teeth in 

 the upper jaw from the median line to the notch, but in the young there are 

 frequently, if not always, five teeth. The pre-maxillo maxillary suture on 

 the palate in the adult is directed backwards, and is W-shaped. 



