The Fur Animals of Louisiana 



173 



parison to those killed by the alligator-hide hunters. This 

 latter trade in hides tends to complete annihilation if it is 

 not curbed or governed in some manner. The collection of 

 eggs for hatching in curio stores so that the tiny 'gators 

 may be taken North and allowed to starve or freeze to 

 death, must be counted as another medium of destruction — 

 not a serious one, however. Crows, so our agent guarding 

 Marsh Island reports, frequently prey on the eggs — prob- 

 ably those forming the top layer of the nest. 



The food of this characteristic marsh and swamp 

 dweller is shown by the following reports : 



ALLIGATORS KILLED ON RAINEY REFUGE 



No. 1 

 No. 2 

 No. 3 



No. 4 



No- 5 



No. 6 

 No- 7 

 No. 8 

 No- 9 



Sex 

 Female 

 Male 

 Female 

 Female 

 Female 



Female 

 Male 

 Female 

 Female 



June 27, 1925 



Length Stomach Contents 



5 feet 1 full grown muskrat, crabs. 



5 feet crayfish and crabs. 



6 feet 1 full grown rabbit. 

 4V 2 feet crayfish and crabs. 



7 feet 2 pieces salt pork (no doubt thrown 



out of some boat). 



5 feet crayfish. 



5% feet muskrat lur and bones. 



6 feet 1 fish 6 inches long, crabs. 

 4% feet crayfish. 



Six smaller 'gators opened at the same time, ranging 

 from 3 to 41/2 feet, all contained crabs and crayfish. 



No. 1 

 No. 2 

 No. 3 



Sex 

 Male 

 'Male 

 Female 



June 29 



Length 

 6V 2 feet 

 5V 2 feet 

 5 feet 



Stomach Contents 

 muskrat fur and bones, 

 muskrat fur, crabs- 

 muskrat fur. 



No. 1 

 No. 2 

 No. 3 

 No- 4 



July 4 



Sex Length Stomach Contents 



Female 7 feet stomach empty. 



Male 6V2 feet fish bones. 



Female 4 feet muskrat fur. 



Male 3 feet ^mall mullet. 



