COLLECTION OF REPTILES. 5^6 



upon the animals which pass near them. The 

 females lay their eggs on the sand, and cover 

 them with leaves ; they are hatched by the heat 

 of the sun ; the young ones betake themselves to 

 the water as soon as they quit the shell. One 

 method employed for catching the crocodile is, 

 to dig across its path a deep ditch, and to cover 

 it with branches and leaves ; it can also be caught 

 by means of a bait, under which is concealed a 

 strong hook which sticks into its palate ; the 

 bait is attached to a long rope, with which the 

 animal, when weakened by the loss of blood, is 

 drawn out of the water. It is said that the ne- 

 groes eat the flesh of the crocodile ; but it smells 

 so strongly of musk, that it is quite revolting to 

 the stomach of an European. The largest of the 

 crocodiles, after that of the Nile (i), is the one 



(i) The crocodile can be tamed when abundantly supplied with 

 food. Worship was offered to this reptile in three of the principal 

 cities of ancient Egypt, Memphis, Thebes, and Arsinoe ; which last 

 was surnamed Crocodilopolis. They used to bring up one of these 

 animals in a lake; it was fed by the priests, and called souchi, as the 

 sacred ox was called apis. Precious stones were fastened to its ears, 

 and after death it was embalmed, and placed in the tombs of the kings. 

 Throughout the rest of Egypt it was held in detestation, and the ich- 

 neumon (viverra ichneumon) was worshipped on account of the war it 

 made on the crocodile by destroying its eggs. It is difficult to explain 

 the cause of this absurd superstition, which continued as late as the 

 third century of the christian sera. But what is worthy of remark is, 

 that a similar superstition is practised in Java. The inhabitants of 

 that country go out to meet the crocodile, offer him presents, and 



