diles throughout all the rivers of Abyssinia, and in
the White Nile. One of these is of a dark brown
colour, and much shorter and thicker in proportion
than the other, which grows to an immense length,
and is generally of a pale greenish yellow. Throughout
the Atbara, crocodiles are extremely mischievous
and bold ; this can be accounted for by the constant
presence of Arabs and their flocks, which the crocodiles
have ceased to fear, as they exact a heavy
tribute in their frequent passages of the river. The
Arabs assert that the dark-coloured thick-bodied
species is more to be dreaded than the other.
The common belief that the scales of a crocodile
will stop a bullet is very erroneous. If a rifle is
loaded with the moderate charge of two and a half
drachms, it will throw an ounce ball through the
scales of the hardest portion of the back j but were
the scales struck obliquely, the bullet might possibly
glance from the surface, as in like manner it would
ricochet from the surface of water. The crocodile
is so difficult to kill outright, that people are apt
to imagine that the scales have resisted their bullets.
The only shots that will produce instant death are
those that strike the brain or the spine through the
neck. A shot through the shoulder is fatal, but
as the body immediately sinks, and does not reappear
upon the surface until the gases have distended
the carcase, the game is generally carried
away by the stream before it has had time1 to
float. The body of a crocodile requires from twelve