The Crocodilians 



THE ALLIGATOR 



Alligator mississippiensis, (Daudin) 



It is not necessary to describe this very familiar reptile be- 

 beyond comparing it structurally to the other Crocodilians in- 

 habiting the United States. 



The most striking difference between the two species is 

 in the outlines of the head. The head of the Alligator is very- 

 broad, and is bluntly rounded at the snout; that of the croco- 

 dile is narrow, gradually tapering toward the snout so that the 

 conformation of the head might be explained as pointed. The 

 Alligator is altogether a stouter species than the crocodile and 

 its tail is not vertically flattened to such an extent as that of the 

 other species. An Alligator weighs about one-third more than 

 a crocodile — the difference being made up by the more massive 

 skull and the stouter body. 



Colouration. — Young alligators are black or very dark brown, 

 with bright yellow cross-bands. The yellow markings fade 

 with maturity and large specimens are uniformly black or dull 

 gray. They may show traces of pale, but dull blotches on the 

 sides. 



There is an albinistic specimen living in the New York 

 Zoological Park. The greater portion of this animal is yellowish 

 white, although there are black patches scattered over the en- 

 tire body. 



Dimensions. — Very large alligators are so rare nowadays 

 that a specimen twelve feet long must be considered a giant. 

 There was a time in Florida^ong since gone — when alligators 

 fourteen and fifteen feet long were of no great rarity. The 

 writer doubts if there is an individual living in Florida to-day 

 that can approach such measurements, and he believes there 

 are but few twelve-foot specimens left. It is his conviction 

 that the finest living example of what a patriach "bull 'gator" 

 should be, is the enormous specimen now in the New York Zoolog- 

 ical Park — "Old Mose." This individual barely misses a measure- 

 ment of thirteen feet and its massive frame suggests the out- 

 lines of a hippopotamus. It can swallow eight pound chickens 

 entire, and at a single gulp. 



Another fine specimen in the reptile house of the same 

 Park, shows the following measurements: 



84 



