Page:Natural History, Reptiles.djvu/62

54 and each being thus gradually pushed out from below by a successor ready to supply its place, the jaws of the Crocodiles present, at all ages, their formidable array of pointed teeth in undiminished number.

The Crocodiles, as we have said, are fierce and voracious, and prove destructive, not only to quadrupeds, (and those of large size), but also to man himself. Cuvier states that they are unable to swallow in the water, but this seems to be unconfirmed. They do, however, commonly resort to the shore for the purpose of devouring those animals which they have seized and drowned, dragging them out again after they have begun to decay. On land their motions are stiff, ungainly, and embarrassed, and a peculiar structure of the vertebræ precludes them from being able to turn themselves with facility. Yet they are able to bound forward with considerable agility, springing to a distance which would scarcely be expected from creatures so unwieldy.

In the water they swim with swiftness both upon and beneath the surface; here they know themselves to be at home, and usually leap into the water with precipitation if surprised on land by even the distant appearance of a man.

These are not only the largest of all reptiles, but are among the most gigantic of animals. Some are reported to have attained a length of twenty-five feet, and it seems probable that they are long-lived, and that their bulk continues to increase with years. The mouth is enormous; and the numerous pointed teeth, thirty or more on each side of each jaw, are so disposed as to fit into the interstices of each other. As the lips are