Natural History of the Alligator. S79 



with more rubbish and mud, and goes on depositing in difFei'ent 

 layers until fifty, or sixty, or more eggs are laid. The whole is 

 then covered up, matted and tangled with long grasses, in such 

 a manner that it is very difficult to break it up. These eggs 

 are the size of that of a goose, more elongated, and, instead of 

 being contained in a shell, are in a bladder, or thin transparent 

 parchment-like substance, yielding to the pressure of the fingers, 

 yet resuming its shape at once, like the eggs of snakes and tor- 

 toises. They are not eaten even by hogs. The female now 

 keeps watch near the spot, and is very wary and ferocious, "go- 

 ing to the water from time to time only for food. Her nest is 

 easily discovered, as she always goes and returns the same way, 

 and forms quite a path by the dragging of her heavy body. 

 The heat of the nest, from its forming a mass of putrescent ma- 

 nure, cause the hatching of the eggs, not that of the sun, as is 

 usually believed. 



Some European writers say, that at this juncture the vul- 

 tures feed on the eggs, and thereby put a stop to the increase 

 of those animals. In the United States, I assure you, it is not 

 so, nor can it be so, were the vultures ever so anxiously inclin- 

 ed ; for, as I have told you before, the nest is so hard, and mat- 

 ted, antl" plastered together, that a man needs his superior 

 strength, with a strong sharp stick, to demolish it. 



The little alligators, as soon as hatched (and they all break 

 shell within a few hours from the first to last), force themselves 

 through, and issue forth all beautiful, Hvely, and as brisk as 

 lizards. The female leads them to the lake, but more frequently 

 into small detached bayous for security's sake ; for now the males, 

 if they can get at them, devour them by hundreds, and the 

 wood ibis and the sand-hill cranes also feast on them. 



I believe that the growth of alligators takes place very slow- 

 ly, and that an alligator of twelve feet long, for instance, will 

 most probably be fifty or more years old. My reasons for be- 

 lieving this to be fact is founded on many experiments, but I 

 shall relate to you one made by rcv^ friend Bourgeat. That gen- 

 tleman, anxious to send some young alligators as a present to an 

 acquaintance in New York, had a bag of young ones, quite 

 small, brought to his house. They were put out on the floor, 

 to shew the ladies how beautiful they were when young. One 



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