132 AMERICAN ALLIGATOR, 



been concerned in the fact. Indeed this is fo notorious m 

 thofe parts in which thefe creatures abound, that the digeftion 

 of the alligator's ftomach is proverbial amongft the multitude, 

 •who deride its intipidity in the choice of fuch rood, though, I 

 prelume, this it does inftincti vely, for fome purpofe unaccounted 

 for by naturalifts; and which, perhaps is beyond the limits of 

 human ken." 



The facl related by Mr. Graham, relates to the alligator of 

 the Carolinas, in which parts of the United States this animal 

 is very common. By another gentleman I have been in^ 

 formed, that the pine knots which the alligators fwallow are 

 generally fuch as are very abundant in turpentine. I have alfo 

 been aflured, by my friend Mr. William Bartram, that he has 

 feen a brick-bat which was taken out of the ftomach of an 

 alligator, and that it was worn quite round. 



Local fituation Mr. Lawfon fays, that the alligator is not feen to the North. 



of this animal, f North-Carolina. They are, very common at Cape-Fear in 

 latitude 34. One twelve feet in length has been feen at this 

 place. On the Atlantic fide of the United States I am not 

 able to trace them farther than the '• Alligator Difma! Swamp," 

 which is between Edenton and Newbern in North-Carolina. 

 The mouth of the Red River in latitude 31. 



Within the tracl of country juft mentioned,, the alligator 

 obeying the impulfe of the climate, pafles into the torpid ftate. 

 In North-Carolina this takes place about the middle ojk 

 November, fooner or later, according to the ftate of the 

 feafon. Whether the animal becomes torpid in more Southern 

 parts of the Continent, I have not been able to learn. On 

 the river St. John in Eaft Florida, they have been feen awake 

 even in the middle of winter, but it was remarked that they 

 feemed dull and llupid. It has alfo been obferved, that they 

 are accuftomed to frequent the warm fprings which are fo 

 abundant in this part of the Continent ; and that they are 

 fond of lying in thefe fprings. Perhaps the heat of thefe 

 fprings may be fufficient to prevent them from becoming torpid. 

 But it muft be obferved, that a deficiency of heat is not the 

 only caufe of the torpid condition of animals. 



ConjecT-nres . It may not perhaps be an eafy talk to adign a fatisfaflory 



refpedng their cau r e f or t | ie fj n tr U | a r inftinctive appetite, which leaus the 



fwallown;g the r . . , 



knots or the alligator, before going into the torpid ftate, to fwallow pine- 

 P iftC » knots, and other fome what fimilar,fubftances. But 1 ap- 



5 prehend 



