. The American natural history; a foundation of useful knowledge of the higher animals of North America. Natural history. 318 ORDERS or REPTILES—CROCODILES AND ALLIGATORS General Characters of Crocodilians.—A crocodilian is a lizard-like reptile, of very large size, with short, thick legs, a long tail, and the most highly developed vascular system to be found among reptiles. Its back and neck are protected by powerful armor consisting of rough, lozenge-shaped plates of solid bone set in a very thick and tough skin, and arranged in rows, both lengthwise and crosswise. Both the tail and the abdo
. The American natural history; a foundation of useful knowledge of the higher animals of North America. Natural history. 318 ORDERS or REPTILES—CROCODILES AND ALLIGATORS General Characters of Crocodilians.—A crocodilian is a lizard-like reptile, of very large size, with short, thick legs, a long tail, and the most highly developed vascular system to be found among reptiles. Its back and neck are protected by powerful armor consisting of rough, lozenge-shaped plates of solid bone set in a very thick and tough skin, and arranged in rows, both lengthwise and crosswise. Both the tail and the abdomen and throat are covered by a regular arrangement of tough scales. The whole animal is covered by a thin, trans- parent epidermis which is impervious to water. The tail is long, flattened vertically, and fringed The eyelids are movable, and the ear opening closes tightly by a flap of skin controlled by voluntary muscles. Most saurians are voiceless or nearly so; but the alligator emits a very deep bellow, or roar, which in animals over ten feet in length is much lower on the scale than any fog-horn. "The difference between a crocodile and an alligator" (a question that has been asked a countless number of times) consists chiefly in the shape of the head, and the manner in which the teeth are placed in the lower jaw. The tj'pi- cal crocodile has a narrow, triangular head, ter- minating in a rounded point. The head of an. 1. CAVIAL. CROCODILE. 3. FLORIDA CROCODILE. 4. INDIAN CROCODILE. 5. MISSISSIPPI ALLIGATOR. along the top with a row of lofty, saw-toothed scales of great use in swimming. The head is a mass of well-nigh solid bone, overlaid bj' the same thin layer of scaly epi- dermis which covers the body, of the thinness of writing-paper. The nostrils are placed far forward, near the end of the snout. The jaws possess great strength, and are armed with rows of sharp-pointed, conical teeth which are shed when worn out, and rcjiewed. The tongue is not free, but i
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