143 



sportsman, and do not approach in the least the poetically 

 descriptive article by Mr. Mole, " Babiche .Shooting in the 

 Caroni," which has graced the October number of the Field 

 Naturalists' Club, nor do they possess the slightest tinge of 

 anything scientific, which, I must confess, renders them, there- 

 fore, not quite in keeping with the interesting and valuable 

 reports ami lectures which have already enriched our young 

 Journal 



So m ny scientific notes as well as startling incidents, 

 almost verging on the fabulous, on the subject of these Saurians, 

 can be found in books of natural hi- tory and travels, such as 

 " Waterton's Alligator Riding," that I will simply confine 

 myself to what my experience of their habits has brought to my 

 personal knowledge. 



I may preface this, however, by giving here the real 

 derivation, perhaps not generally known, of the name 

 " alligator" (Alligator scleropsj which is very naturally 

 traced to the old tars of the adventurous and unfortunate Sir 

 Walter Kaleigh, who at the latter end of the 16th century, on 

 hearing those great lizards called by the Spaniards in the 

 Orinoco and its canos, El Lagarto, that is " The Lizard," 

 soon corrupted the name into its present form 



All etymologies are not, unfortunately, as clear as this one, 

 and as that 'if the baracouta, which is rather too coarse, 

 however, to be indicated here. 



I must begin with a description of the eggs, which are 

 about the size of those of the turkey, of a dirty white colour, 

 and with a rough surface They are generally found deposited 

 in a conical nest, about 2 to 2^ ft. high, by l^ to 2 ft. diameter, 

 built of mud and rushes or sprigs, near the water-side. 



There is a belief amongst the people here, that if any one 

 attempts to touch the nest, he runs great risk of being attacked 

 by the mother alligator, who is always on the watch to defend 

 her progeny. 



I remember, whilst surveying on the left bank of tho 

 Caroni, coming once upon one of these curious constructions, 

 and so frightened were my eight men at my going to examine 

 and demolish it, that they all ran away to a distance of at least 

 20 yards, Avarning me of the danger of the Maman Caiman 

 which was sure to attack me. 



However, having besides my bowie knife at my side, my 

 cutlass in hnnd, I prepared for defence, and quietly demolished 

 with perfect impunity the large nest, in which I found, I 

 think, a dozen or two eggs. 



Unfortunately, I cannot put my hand now on my field book 

 in which I made on the spot a sketch of the nest, and took its 



