Show crocodiles build nests in sand by river bank when we look at pictures of crocodiles and alligators we hardly think of them as being hatched irom from eggs that look very much like hens eggs but they are and the eggs have hard bard white shells the only difference being that they are more elongated than hens eggs writes a correspondent in the montreal herald the female crocodile lays her eggs anything up to 60 in number in a hollow of the sand by a river bank she does not sit on them like a bird but allows the sun to do the hatching some crocodiles like those that live in the dutch east indies build a nest 0 of leaves twigs and branches in which to lay their eggs the mother crocodile then retires to a distance where she watches over the eggs this Is necessary for monkeys are only too ready to come and steal them after several weeks a little crocodile comes out of each egg when it is ready to come it makes a sound which attracts the mother and it if the eggs are buried in the sand she will at once uncover them the baby crocodile then cracks the shell and pokes the tip of its nose through the hole within a couple of hours it thrusts its whole body out and before it is even out it shows its nature tor for it will snap if touched directly the young crocodiles are out of the shell they are able to look after themselves they begin preying on living creatures suited to their size |