The Crocodilians 



Total Length 1 1 feet, 5^ inches. 



Length of Head 2 feet, 4^ inches. 



Length of Tail 5 feet, 1 1 f inches. 



Estimated Weight 450 pounds. 



It should not be taken for granted, however, that an alli- 

 gator must attain such dimensions before reaching maturity. 

 The writer has noted several female specimens less than nine 

 feet long, that laid large numbers of eggs; one of these was a 

 South Carolina specimen; she was less than eight feet in length 

 and deposited 37 eggs. 



Growth of the Alligator. It is a generally mistaken idea 

 that the growth of the alligator is very slow. Actual conditions 

 are much to the contrary. While it may take an alligator 

 longer to attain maturity than a lizard or a snake, the wild 

 saurian easily reaches an adult development within five or six 

 years. As an illustration of the alleged tardy growth of the 

 species, the writer quotes from Prof. E. D. Cope's technical work 

 on the crocodilians, lizards and snakes of North America; at 

 the end of the description of the alligator is a portion of an article 

 by Dr. Hugh M. Smith, of the United States Fish Commission; 

 this reads, in part: "Alligators grow very slowly. At fifteen 

 years of age they are only two feet long. A twelve-footer may 

 be reasonably supposed to be seventy-five years old." 



The writer's observations have pointed to quite the con- 

 trary of this statement. He collected a nest of alligator eggs 

 in South Carolina, in August of 1900. There were thirty-seven 

 eggs in the nest, of about the diameter of a hen's egg but more 

 elongated. Packing the eggs in the material composing the 

 nest, they were shipped to New York, where five of them hatched, 

 between October 8th and I4th. The remainder failed to hatch, 

 possibly becoming spoiled in the shaking they received during 

 shipment. 



At the time of hatching, the young alligators were 8 inches 

 long, and weighed I f ounces. 



One year after hatching, they were again measured and 

 weighed. Their average length was 18 inches, and their weight, 

 9^ ounces, showing an increase of ten inches in length. 



In August of 1902 their average length was 23 inches and the 

 average weight 3 pounds. 



In March of 1903 the young alligators were 3 feet, 9 inches 



85 



