Well, that's certainly one way to discourage burglars, just drop a crocodile on them.

Let us not go to Cairo. ‘‘Tis a silly place.

You've heard of the elephant in the room, but what about the crocodile on the doorway?

Apparently this was "Engraved in the Illustrated London News, 18th July 1868" ( cite ) I think the idea is, originally it was an engraving in the paper, then later the artist made a watercolor out of it?

The artist was a "special artist" for the Illustrated London News - I think like an artist at large? basically he travelled around the world making art and selling it to them?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Simpson_(Scottish_artist)#Illustrated_London_News

This makes me want to re-read "The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate" by Ted Chiang

Igneous Cutwell’s house.