Lucrative Crocodile

Shooting in BSIP

of fashion in London

may this season be wearing

shoes made from Solomon

Islands crocodiles.

Mr. R. a. Dethridge’s crocodile shooting venture has disposed of more than 600 crocodiles this year, all of them from Ysabel and the Manning Straits. The skins are drysalted and sent to England, and the buyer reports that BSIP crocodile skins are excellent.

Most of the crocodiles are about three-quarters grown, and about 20 or 30 inches across the belly. Croco diles 17-ft long, with belly skins nearly four feet across, have been taken.

The BSIP estuarine crocodile is equally at home in the sea or in rivers. He spends part of his time inland, going right up to the head waters of streams, where he catches pigs in the bush.

When the schools of mullet begin to move down the rivers, the croco dile may follow them, and when the seasonal move of landcrabs down to the sea takes place, usually about October to December, the crocodile is likely to be near the saltwater, eating crab.

This year, both in Ysabel and Honiara, the crabs have already be

gun to move down, in August. Re cently a big crocodile was shot at Kia, in Ysabel, in deep water. A boy from the Lord Howe atoll jumped into the sea after it and hauled its corpse along so that the boat s crew could secure it to the dinghy Three times the tail slipped through their hands and the fish went back into the water. Each time the Lord Howe boy dived, swam after it, and brought it back. The fourth time, just as he got it to the dinghy, the crocodile revived and swam away from him