CARNIVOROUS AND INSECTIVOROUS REPTILES 71 



without arousing suspicion till within striking distance. The 

 following quotation from Sir Samuel Baker (in Wild Beasts and 

 their Ways) furnishes a good example: — " I have watched upon 

 many occasions the stealthy advance of a crocodile to capture 

 small birds, when in flights of many thousands they have settled 

 upon the yielding branches of dwarf willows overhanging the 

 Atbara river. The elastic boughs bent down beneath the weight 

 of the innumerable flock, and the crocodile's head appeared above 

 the surface at a distance, sank below, and quickly reappeared 

 (the eyes and crown alone above the water) within 10 yards 

 of the unsuspecting birds, all of which were busily engaged in 

 twittering excitement, quarrelling for places, and occasionally 

 dipping their beaks in the water when the bending twigs per- 

 mitted them to drink. In a few moments after the disappearance 

 of the wary eyes a tremendous splash Was accompanied with a pair 

 of open jaws, which swept the occupants of the lower branches 

 into the greedy throat. This artful attack was frequently repeated, 

 and generally with success." 



As regards the internal arrangements of the Crocodile it may 

 be noted that the gullet is very dilatable, allowing prey of con- 

 siderable size to be swallowed, and part of the stomach is a sort 

 of gizzard, within which stones and gravel are always to be found. 

 Here, as in the case of birds, is an arrangement which compen- 

 sates for the absence of chewing organs. 



As might be expected, fish is an important item in the diet 

 of members of the group under consideration, but the slender- 

 snouted crocodiles known as Garials appear to be specially 

 adapted to this kind of food. The Gangetic Garial {Garialis 

 Gangeticd), for example, which inhabits some of the Indian rivers, 

 possesses a very long beak-like snout armed with very numerous 

 teeth, and well suited for dealing with this kind of prey. A com- 

 parison naturally suggests itself with some of the fishing-birds, 

 and still more with the curious Cetacean known as the Gangetic 

 Dolphin (see p. 28). 



TORTOISES AND TURTLES 



Some of the members of the Tortoise and Turtle Order 

 are of carnivorous habit, but there are no very special adapta- 

 tions to an animal diet. It is among the fresh-water forms that 



