264 



SNAKES, TURTLES, LIZARDS, CROCODILES 



and in Asia. The American crocodile can be distinguished 

 from the alUgator by its narrower snout. It sometimes 

 attains the length of twelve feet. Crocodiles are ferocious 

 and kill many large animals which are seized by the snout 

 as they come down to the water to rlrink. 



Alligators. — Like the paintetl turtle, the aUigator spends 

 much of the day lying along a log basking in the sun, 



Fig. LS3. — ~\'omig alligator. 



ready to slip into the water at a moment's notice. Alliga- 

 tors are exceedingly active in the water and live upon 

 animals that come to the M'ater to drink and upon fish. 

 They always drag their prey Ixmeath the \\'ater and drown 

 it. The passage leading to the lungs is closed by a peculiar 

 arrangement at the base of the tongue, so that no water 



