I)( )MESTICATED NATURE. 



301 



WAITING FOR FOOD. 



all of those ; so after many devices I 

 resorted to beef hearts, the meat being 

 firm and fairly tough, devoid of fat, and 

 lends itself nicely to being cut into strips 

 resembling worms. 



For some time the 'gators did not like 

 this substitute, but now take it readily 

 and in unlimited quantities. For variety 

 they get fish, frogs, rats and kittens, 

 whenever the latter are obtainable. As 

 tid bits the larger one enjoys cockroaches 

 and bine bottle flies. 



Usually the food is taken in the water, 

 or carried into the water should it be 

 taken on land. The heal is elevated 

 above the water and with a few gulps 

 the act of swallowing is completed ; there 

 is no mastication at all. If the jaws 

 are opened and closed a number of times 

 during the act of swallowing, it is done 

 simply to readjust the food in the month, 

 <>r to break it into smaller bits. Occa- 

 sionally a long piece of meat or a fish 



protrude at the angle of the month; this 

 is adjusted by either a vigorous shake 

 of the head or by the aid of the hind 

 foot. 



Ordinarily lethargic in their move- 

 ments, the speed at which an alligator 

 can run in pursuit of prey is truly re- 

 markable. As a rule a 'gator rests after 

 taking only a few steps, but when after 

 food they may run a distance of fifty 

 or seventy feet without letting down 

 their body a single time, the body rising 

 high from the ground when the animal 

 walks. 



The sense of smell is highly devel- 

 oped, in fact seems to be the most aeute 

 of all the senses. Recently the larger 

 one smelled some rats at a distance of 

 fully fifty feet. 



The alligators have an enclosure C> by 

 13 ft., in the center of which there is a 

 pool 4 by 6V2 ft., and varying in depth 

 from 3 to 14 inches; this has an over- 



WITH A PIECE OF MEAT IN HIS MOUTH. 



