THE CROCODILE. 
237 
Was dissected by the Jesuits at Siam, was eighteen feet and a 
half, French measure, in length ; of which the tail was no 
less than five feet and a half, and the head and neck above 
two feet and a half. It was four feet nine inches in circum- 
ference, where thickest. The fore-legs had the same parts 
and conformation as the armsof a man both within and with- 
°ut. The hands, if they may be so called, had five lingers; 
the two last of which had no nails, and were of a conical 
figure. The hinder legs, including the thigh and paw, were 
two feet two inches long ; the paws, from the joint to the 
extremity of the longest claws, were about nine incites : 
they W ere divided into four toes, of which three were armed 
with large claws, the longest of which was an inch and a 
half; these toes were united by a membrane, like those of 
a duck, but much thicker. The head was long, and had a 
httle rising at the top ; but the rest was flat, and especially 
towards the extremity of the jaws. It was covered by a 
?hin, which adhered firmly to the skull and to the jaws. 
1 he skull was rough and unequal in several places. The eye 
Was very small in proportion to the rest of the body. The 
.jaws seemed to shut one upon the other; and nothing can 
he more false than that the animal’s under jaw is without 
tootion ; it moves, like the lower jaw in all other animals, 
while the upper is fixed to the skull, and absolutely iminove- 
a ble. The animal had twenty-seven cutting teeth in the 
'Tper jaw, and fifteen in the lower, with several void spaces 
between them. The distance of the two jaws, when opened 
? s wide as they could be, was fifteen inches and a half ; this 
I s a very wide yawn, and could easily enough take in the 
ody of a man. From the shoulders to the extremity of 
he tail, the animal was covered with large scales, of a 
Sc luare form, disposed like parallel girdles. The creature 
VVas covered not only with these, but all over with a coat 
armour; which, however, was not proof against a mus- 
ket ball, contrary to what has been commonly asserted. It 
no bladder; but the kidneys sent the urine to be dis- 
v larged by the anus. There were sixty-two joints in the 
Jack-bone,' which, though very closely united, had suffi- 
jJ. le J>t play to enable the animal to bend like a bow to the 
c '8ht and the left ; so that what wc hear of escaping the 
>iof k Ure by turning out of the right line, and of the animal’s 
f , oeing able to wheel readily after its prey, seems to be 
apulous. 
m l UC ^ * S l * le fi§ ure anc ^ conformation of this formidable ani- 
t'iv 5 l ' 1at ^Populates countries, and makes the most navigable 
eis desert and dangerous. They are seen in some places, 
