THE CROCODILE. 153 



become habituated to substantial food, which they scarcely knew 

 before : so that afterwards those swimming in the riyer, or even 

 bathing on its banks, were exposed to imminent danger. 



Natives of Africa shoot the Crocodile with a gun, or attack 

 it with a barbed javelin, which is thrown by hand, and aimed at 

 the fore-shoulder. Some Egyptians are reported to be daring 

 enough to swim under the Crocodile, and pierce him in the belly 

 with a dagger. The negroes of Senegal are said to be equally 

 expert. If they surprise the animals in parts of the river where 

 there is not sufficient water for them to swim, they attack the 

 monster with a lance ; and with their left arm wrapped in a 

 sheet of leather, they commence by aiming with their weapon 

 at the eyes and throat ; then they thrust the arm, encased in 

 leather, into its mouth, and, holding it open, their enemy is 

 either suffocated or expires under the wounds received. Traps 

 are also employed successfully for their destruction. In Egypt 

 the natives dig a deep hole in the ordinary route of the Croco- 

 diles, which is easily discovered by the trail they leave in the 

 sand. This hole is covered with branches and strewed with 

 earth. The Crocodile is now alarmed with loud cries, which 

 disturb and drive him back to the river, by the same way that 

 it has left it. As it passes over the treacherous hole it falls in, 

 when it is killed, often with the most brutal cruelty. At other 

 times a thick cord is attached to a large tree, and to the other 

 end of the cord a lamb is bound, held by a protruding hook. The 

 cries of the lamb attract the Crocodile, which, in its attempt to 

 carry off the bait, is taken by the hook. 



Still another method for the destruction of these repulsive- 

 looking creatures has been adopted on one or two occasions by 

 our countrymen in India. A dead animal is procured, in its abdo- 

 men is placed a loaded shell, to which is attached a wire made fast 

 to an electric battery ; when the bait has been seized and carried 

 to the bottom, the shell is exploded, which invariably maims or 

 kills the Crocodile. 



The Gavials, or Indian Crocodiles, have long narrow cylindrical 

 muzzles, slightly inflated at the extremity ; the teeth are almost 

 the same, both in number and shape, on each jaw, the two first 

 and the fourth of the lower jaw pass into notches or indentations 



