The Biology of the Crocodilia 31 



in color when in the green state, and the scales are 

 larger and not so artistically formed. The Florida 

 and Louisiana skins are almost invariably split 

 down the back, or rather along each side of the 

 back, so as to preserve the under side in a solid 

 piece, but most of the Mexican skins are split down 

 the middle of the abdomen, keeping the back 

 intact, making what is commonly known as 'horn 

 alligator.' (See Fig. 15.) 



"The skin should be removed soon after death as, 

 in warm climates, putrefaction sets in very early 

 and the value of the skin is depreciated. After 

 removal, the flesh side of the skin is thoroughly 

 rubbed with fine salt, and the skin is carefully 

 rolled up with the salted side inside and is ready 

 for shipment, but must be kept in a dry, cool place. 

 Great care must be taken not to cut the hide since 

 small cuts that are not noticeable in the raw skin 

 may be so conspicuous in the dressed skin as to 

 render it of much less value; a large percentage 

 of the hides received in the markets are thus 

 damaged. 



"Formerly only the 'belly skin' was removed, 

 by two longitudinal incisions just below the horny 

 portion of the back; but it was later found that 

 the thick horny skin of the back could be tanned 

 nearly as well as the thinner belly skin, so that 

 the entire skin is now usually removed by a longi- 

 tudinal incision along the mid-ventral line, with 

 lateral incisions along each leg to the foot (Fig. 15). 



