50 



THE CAYMAN. 



dissector would see that the mouth of this 

 reptile is completely formed for snatch and 

 swallow. Now any common observer of the 

 habits of animals with a mouth so formed must 

 know, at first sight, that these animals never 

 eject food which has once entered the mouth. 

 Down the throat it goes immediately, unless 

 there be some impediment, as in the case of 

 a stag's horns. Supposing for an instant (but 

 no one except a second Master Swainson 

 could suppose such a manifest absurdity) that 

 the crocodile does really place his food in a 

 hole until putridity commences ; pray how is 

 the animal to secure it from his ravenous 

 fellow crocodiles ? — or by what process is he to 

 curb his own hunger until the lardered morsel 

 be ready for deglutition ? 



The old hackneyed account of crocodiles 

 devouring their own young when newly hatched 

 is really unworthy of refutation. Depend upon 

 it, no such unnatural banquet takes place ; for 

 the crocodiles are never reduced to so abhorrent 

 a necessity. The rivers which they inhabit 

 abound with fish, both large and small : and on 

 these the crocodiles feed, as well as on fresh- 

 water turtle. And as to the vultures watching 



