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flattish body, and a triangular head. On the back of the female there are certain cavitie opening outward, and somewhat resembling the cells of a bee-hive. They are of a circular form, about half an inch deep, and each nearly · a quarter of an inch in diameter. They are at a little distance from each other, and somewhat irregularly ranged. At a certain period of incubation, if it may be so called, in each of these cells is found a little live toad, an exact minia.b ture of its parent; but how it finds subsistence there, (for the creature has no adhesion to the parent, but may be easily taken out, as from a case, and again replaced without injury,): does not seem as yet to be fully ascertained: Mr. Ferman, who has described this unimal, declares himself to have been an eye-witness to the procedure. The eggs are generated within the female, who, when they have attained the proper degree of maturity, drops them on the ground. The male gathers together the heap, and deposits them, with great care in the cavities, on the back of the female, which are, at that period, open for their reception, and which afterwards close over them. eggs remain in the cells until the second birth, which takes place in somewhat less than three months, when the young ones emerge from the back of the parent, completely formed. Dur. ing the time of concealment, they undergo the usual change into the tadpole state, which they

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entirely put of before their final departure from the body of the parent Toad.-After all the Young ones are come forth, the female rids herself of the cells, and at the same time of part of her skin, by rubbing herself against stones or vegetables, and the injured skin is soon renewed by a fresh growth.

In this singular production of its young, the Pipa seems to bear a great resemblance to the different species of opossum.

It would seem that the flesh of this Toad is not unwholesome, as, according to Madame Merian, the negroes of Surinam eat of it with pleasure, and suffer no inconvenience from its

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THE CROCODILE.

To look for the Crocodile in all its natural terrors, grown to an enormous size, propagated in surprising numbers, aud committing unceasing devastations, we must go to the uninhabited regions of Africa and America, to those immense rivers that roll through extensive and desolate kingdoms, where the most powerful animals exert their strength with confidence and security. Those that sail up the river Amazons, or the river Niger, well know how numerous and terrible those animals are in such parts of the world. There they indolently bask on the surface, no way disturbed at the approach of an enemy, since, from the repeated trials of their strength, they found none they were not able to subdue.

Of this terrible animal there are two kinds : the crocodile found in Egypt and the waters of the Nile, and the Alligator of South America. Travellers, however, have rather made the distinction than nature; and it would be speaking more properly to call these animals the Crocodiles of the eastern and the western world.

If we except the Elephant, the Hippopotamus, the Whale, and some of the enormous Serpents, these are the largest animals that have yet been discovered; some of them have been

known to attain the length of twenty-five feet and upwards, and probably like fishes, their size continues to increase during their whole life.

The Crocodile has no lips; so that even when walking or swimming with the utmost tranquility, the teeth are bare, and the aspect seems animated by rage. Another circumstance that contributes to increase the terrific appearance of its countenance, is the fiery glare of the eyes; and these, being situated near each other, have also a malignant aspect.

The armour with which the Crocodile is clad, may be accounted among the most elaborate pieces of Nature's mechanism. In the fullgrown animal it is so strong, as easily to repel a musket ball. On the lower parts it is much thinner and more pliable than on the upper. The whole animal appears as if covered with the most regular, and curious carved work. The colour of the full grown Crocodile is blackishbrown above, and yellowish-white beneath. The upper parts of the legs and sides are varied with deep yellow, somewhat tinged with green. The mouth is of vast width, and furnished with numerous sharp-pointed teeth, thirty or more on each side of the jaws; and these are so dis. posed, as when the mouth is closed, to fit alternately above and below.

In the water the Crocodile seems to enjoy his whole strength with much greater advantage than on land. In spite of his size, and his

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