The crocodile spends his days upon the flat sandbanks asleep or sunning himself, and seldom wanders more than a hundred steps away from the water. When disturbed he hurries back to it with great swiftness, so that he cannot be overtaken even with the speediest camel. He avoids obstacles by quick turnings, and the prevailing notion that he can change his direction only very slowly is manifestly erroneous. Moreover, he never pursues human beings shoreward, but invariably flees from them toward the water at thefirst alarm. After sundown the crocodiles leave their resting places and betake themselves noiselessly to the water to hunt for fish until daybreak. With the help of their powerful tails, which they use as rudders, they move through the streams lightly and with great speed ; and the creatures which are apparently so stupid and helpless seize the scurrying fish with great dexterity and quickness.
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