CROCODILES. 269 



history, and not a fanciful notion ; for a similar belief is 

 related by Mr. Bates in The Naturalist on the Amazons, as 

 held by the people with regard to a species of serpent found 

 in the Amazons valley. 



A much more formidable reptile in Madagascar than the 

 serpent is the crocodile, which swarms in every river and lake, 

 and is not a little destructive to human life. About this 

 creature, accordingly, a good deal of fable has been evolved 

 from the imagination of the people ; and from their dread of 

 its power, they will never kill one except in retaliation for 

 one of their friends or neighbours who has been destroyed by 

 a crocodile. They believe that the wanton destruction of one 

 of these reptiles will be followed by the loss of human life, 

 in accordance with the principle of lex talionis. The inhabi- 

 tants living in the neighbourhood of the lake Itasy, to the 

 west of the central province, are accustomed to make a yearly 

 proclamation to the crocodiles, warning them that they shall 

 revenge the death of some of their friends by killing as many 

 way in return, and warning the well-disposed crocodiles to 

 keep out of the way, as they have no quarrel with them, but 

 only with their evil-minded relatives who have taken human 

 life. On the principle of " taking a hair of the dog that bit 

 them," a crocodile's tooth is worn as an amulet or charm, and 

 silver ornaments made in that shape formed a chief part of 

 the adornment of the people in former times (see frontispiece 

 to History of Madagascar, vol. i), while a golden crocodile's 

 tooth formed the central ornament in the royal crown. From 

 this dread of the supposed supernatural power of the croco- 

 dile, it is invoked by prayers rather than attacked ; even the 

 shaking of a spear over a stream is dreaded as likely to give 

 offence to the reptiles and provoke their vengeance the next 

 time the offender ventures on the water ; while to throw dung 

 into the water was a heinous offence. 



Mr. Grainge mentions that along the river B<$tsibdka the 

 people believe that " crocodiles live chiefly on stones, stealing 

 cattle, pigs, and people merely as a relish to the harder fare. 

 Also, that smitten by the charms of the pretty little divers 

 and other water-birds, they choose their mates from among 



