REPTILE GALLERY. 



nostrils are closed by valves, a transparent membrane is drawn over 

 the eye, and the ear, which is a horizontal slit, is shut up by a 

 movable projecting flap of the skin. The limbs are weak, the ante- 

 rior provided with five, the posterior with four digits, of which three 

 only are armed with claws, and which are united together by a more 

 or less developed web. The tail is long, compressed, crested above, 

 very powerful, and admirably adapted for propelling the body 

 through the water. The back, tail, and belly are protected by a 

 dermal armour formed of quadrangular shields, of which the dorsal 

 and, in several Alligators, also the ventral contain true bone 

 imbedded in the skin. 



The Crocodilians are thoroughly aquatic in their habits, and 

 the most formidable of all the carnivorous freshwater animals. 

 Crocodiles and Alligators, when young, and the Gavials through- 

 out their existence, feed chiefly on fish ; but large Crocodiles 

 attack every animal which they can overpower, and which they 

 drown before devouring. The eggs, of which one (of Crocodilus 

 porosus) is exhibited in Case 2, are oblong, hard- shelled, and 

 deposited in holes on the banks of rivers and ponds. The flesh 

 of these animals is not eaten, but their hides have lately been 

 introduced as an article of commerce ; a portion of the skin pre- 

 pared for the trade may be seen in Case 5. 



The large stuffed Crocodilians are arranged in two groups in the 

 middle of the Gallery, that (C) nearest the entrance containing 

 the Old- World forms, the other (D) the American kinds. The 

 smaller specimens occupy Wall-Cases 1-9, and a series of skulls 

 is exhibited in Case 10. 



About 25 species are known. 



Crocodiles proper (Crocodilus) are distinguished from the Alli- 

 gators by having the fourth lower tooth passing into a notch at the 

 lateral edge of the upper jaw. They inhabit Africa, Southern 

 Asia, the tropical parts of Australia, Central America, and the 

 West Indies. The Indian Crocodile (Crocodilus porosus) grows to 

 a length of 30 feet, and is very common in the East Indies and 

 Tropical Australia. A large specimen obtained in North-east 

 Australia is exhibited in the middle of the Gallery. The African 

 Crocodile (Crocodilus vulgaris) attains nearly to the same size as the 

 Indian species. It was worshipped by the ancient Egyptians, and 



