JAN ‘dl 1322 
. \ \..'j. • • • ^ 
aUAKDIAN BIRDS. , 
,"^IRST chronologically, for tlic record of its cliar- 
acteristic liabit antedates that given of any other 
gnai’dian lard, is the ci’ocodile watcher, trocliilus, or, 
teclinically, Hjjas wgyptiacus. 
Herodotus, that remarkably oh.serving old travel¬ 
ler, is the first writer to note the curious relationship 
existing between this little bird and the o’ocodile. 
In his terse and telling fashion he says: “ All othei* 
beasts and birds avoid the crocodile, but he is at peace 
with the trocliilus, because he receives benefits from 
it; for when the crocodile issues from the watei*, 
and then opens his mouth, which he does most 
commonly toward the sunset, the trocliilus enters 
his mouth and 
swallows the 
leeches which 
cling to his teeth. 
The huge beast is 
so pleased that he 
never injures the 
little bird.” 
Subsequent wri¬ 
ters, with the 
sufficient wisdom 
that comes of 
much closet stud}", 
denied the story 
of the old Greek 
on the ground 
of improbabili- 
t3^ On the other 
hand, the natives 
find the account 
too bald, and im¬ 
prove upon it by 
adding that the 
zic-zac, as they 
call the bird, in 
likeness to its cry, frequently becomes so intent upon his business of picking the croc¬ 
odile’s teeth that he forgets the lapse of time, and continues his operations so loim_ 
in this respect strikingly like our human trocliilus, the dentist—that the moiistei^in 
sheer weariness must close his mouth. Tliis ungrateful action the trocliilus indif- 
nantly resents, and at once, with beak and spurs, proceeds to scarify the crocodiffis 
interior, with the result of causing the tired jaws to open once more. 
Modern writers who have been to Egypt confirm the substance of the story of He¬ 
rodotus, but are skeptical as to the native addition. They affirm, indeed that the 
trocliilus is the crocodile’s friend in its despite rather than with its consent and that 
the occasions when the bird finds itself caught between its ugly protege's jaws, thoiio-li 
infrequent, are final. This is very likely to be true, for the crocodile is certaiiilv raini- 
cious and blood-thirsty to the extreme of sullen brutality. 
If it be the case, it is fortunate for the trocliilus that it is gifted with unusual 
agility. It belongs to the family of long-legged birds, which includes a great many 
species, ranging from the spry little snipe to the languid herons and (Tranes. Its 
beak is short, but its legs are long and muscular, as they need be to enable it to 
move with the rapidity for which it is remarkable. 
When not on duty it remains rather quiet, and seems to wait for the appearance of 
the ungrateful object of its solicitude with great patience; but when the monster is at 
GUARDIANS or TIIK CROCODILK. 
VoL. LXX.—No. 417.-27 
