162 



*THE CROCODILES OF CEYLON. 



promptly discharged the contents of his fowling piece down her 

 throat.* On finding however that no Crocodile appeared, our con- 

 fidence returned; and at length one of our number ventured to 

 approach near enough to remove the top of the nest, and to take 

 away the eggs, of which he procured twenty-five. 



On my expressing astonishment at the pacific conduct of the 

 parent Crocodile, and suggesting that it was probably absent in 

 pursuit of food, the natives who were with us expressed their con* 

 viction, that it was at that moment in the trench; but that it was 

 of a different caste from the first. Further enquiries have satisfied 

 me that this belief in the existence of two different species, or, as 

 the natives call them, castes, of Crocodiles is universal in the coun- 

 try; and Dr. J. Anderson, of the Indian Museum, Calcutta, informs 

 me that a similar belief prevails in Bengal respecting the Mugger, 

 which closely resembles the Crocodile of Ceylon, if it be not iden- 

 tical with it. One caste is said to confine itself to a fish diet, while 

 the other attacks human beings. 



The former, called by the Sinhalese Elle Kimbola, or Grey 

 Crocodile, grows to a larger size than the more savage species, and 

 is said to be that which is found about Kornegalle. As I have 

 two thriving specimens, hatched from the eggs of the Crocodile 

 which attacked Mr. Symonds, and am promised one of the pro- 

 geny of that which submitted so quietly to the plundering of its 

 nest in my presence, I hope that I shall be able to ascertain, by 

 the aid of some eminent English Naturalist, whether they belong 

 to the same or to two different species. At present they present 

 no difference in appearance that an unscientific eye can detect. 



I may mention that there is some difficulty in bringing up young 

 Crocodiles by hand, as they obstinately refuse every kind of food 

 that I have ever presented to them. One, which was brought to 

 me some years ago, died of inanition, although, for a week or ten 

 days that it was in my possession, I constantly tempted it with 



* This shot was not, however, fatal ; for Mr. Symonds was subsequently 

 charged twice by, as he believes, the same crocodile. 



