130 



DR. J. E. GEAT'S SYNOPSIS OF THE SPECIES 



B. The cervical shield forms a small group, tohich is separate from the dorsal shield. 

 II. Ckocodilidjs. The canines fit into notches in the upper jaw, and the large front 



teeth fit into pits or perforations in the front of the upper jaw. 

 III. Alligatorid^. The large front teeth and the canines fit into pits or perforations 

 in the edge of the upper jaw. 



The large front teeth of the Garials fit into a notch in the front of the upper jaw, 

 and the canines into a notch also. In the Crocodiles the canines fit into a notch, as in 

 the Garials, but the large front teeth fit into a pit or perforation in the front of the 

 upper jaw ; and in the Alligators both the canines and the large front teeth fit into pits 

 or perforations in the edge of th,e upper jaw. 



The geographical distribution of the genera may be thus exhibited : — 



In Africa there are three species of Crocodiles. They seem all to have been known 

 to Adanson. They are, 1. The common Crocodile (called the Olive Crocodile by 

 Adanson), Crocodilus vulgaris, which is spread over the whole of Africa, from north to 

 south and from east to west; 2. The Black Crocodile of Adanson {Halcrosia nigra) \ 

 and, 3. The False Gavial of Adanson, the Mecistops cataphractus. The two latter are 

 confined to the rivers on the west coast of Africa. 



In India' there are also three species of Crocodiles: — 1. The Oopholis porosus (or 

 Crocodilus biporcatus of Cuvier), which is found only in the estuaries at the mouths of 

 the large rivers ; 2. The Muggar^ (Bombifrons indicus) ; and 3. The Garial (or Ghurrial), 



' See Dr. J. E. Gray " On the Crocodiles of India and Africa," Transactions of the Sections in ' Report of the 

 British Association of Science,' Cambridge, 1868, p. 107. 



^ Dr. Falconer says, the proper name of the Crocodile is Coomheer. The Rapacious Shark is called the Miu/fftir ; 

 and by reflection this name is also sometimes given to the Crocodile, becaiLse it is a rapacious animal. 



