nSZ NEW ~YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOGIEMYe 
thick basal stems of a large bush, these fully an inch and a half in 
diameter, but about them the material composing the mound was 
as carefully matted down as on the clear portions. 
The eggs were discovered about two and one-half feet down in 
the center of the mound, in a single, irregular mass. They looked 
strangely white and immaculate as compared with our hands 
and clothing after breaking our way through the swamp. There 
were thirty-seven eggs, averaging two and one-half inches long, 
and an inch in diameter. Their shells were hard and brittle, con- 
siderably thicker than the shell of a hen’s egg, and when struck 
together produced a metallic sound. The entire nest and its 
contents were packed on our horses, brought to the nearest railway 
station, and shipped to the Zoological Park. During all our 
work there was no hint as to the whereabouts of the parent alli- 
gator, though from the appearance of the much matted grass at 
the edge of the pool it would seem she frequently visited the 
vicinity of the nest. The pool itself was barely eight feet in 
diameter, and was well sounded, but the result convinced us that 
the female alligator was not hiding at the bottom. Near by was 
a series of bayous connecting with the Savannah River low- 
grounds. It was from the eggs in this nest that we hatched the 
specimens which prompted the writer to prepare the present 
article. 
The eggs began hatching on the 14th of October. But five 
alligators emerged, the remainder of the eggs having evidently 
been spoiled in the severe shaking received in transit. From 
the time of their arrival in New York to the period of hatching. 
—the five hatching within a week’s time,—the eggs were buried 
in the medium composing the original nest, which was kept well 
moistened. The process of incubation was carried on in one 
of the Reptile House cages, at a temperature averaging 80 degrees 
Fahrenheit. 
Upon hatching, the little alligators were very stout of body, with 
a chunky head, and short snout, the head being decidedly convex 
at the top. They averaged eight inches in length, and showed 
a weight of one and three-quarters of an ounce each. As they 
were very well nourished by the egg yolk at the time of hatching, 
they refused food for some days. They were decidedly active, 
swimming or crawling about a shallow tank of warm water. 
When disturbed they “barked” vigorously, and made efforts to 
snap at the observer’s fingers. 
At the present time, these alligators are over five feet long. 
The following table shows their increase in weight: 
