Alligators of Guiana. ^7 



as stones. The harder pebble stones, of the agate and crystal 

 kinds, are frequently found in the stomach. 



In opening one to determine this fact, I found the stomach 

 and intestines membranous ; the former consisting of an ex- 

 tended canal, very thick in its coats and narrow, and having a 

 small quantity of half digested animal and vegetable substances 

 within it. Below this, in a large paunch or perhaps second sto-^ 

 mach, were found 4 lb. or 5 lb. of pebble stones of various sizes, 

 from that of a pea to that of a walnut. Nothing else was 

 found within it except a bit of indigested skin of some animal. 



As to the incubation of the cayman, if any one stoops over 

 the nest, places his ear close, and strikes over it, — if ready to 

 come out, the young fry will be heard croaking. It is said the 

 cayman takes this method of trial. The cayman waits about its 

 eggs laid in the sand, places itself to the landward, and when 

 the little ones are rising from the ground, it devours all that 

 run that way : the others go clear and find their way to the 

 water. 



The cayman is not known above the falls in the Rio Caroni, 

 as the people there think from inability to ascend the falls ; but 

 this is a great misconception. This river, above the falls, is 

 quite unfit for its abode, being shallow, rapid, and full of rocks. 

 It seems rather strange, however, that they are not found in 

 the River Pomeroon, which is very deep, still, and dark-colour- 

 ed ; but some of the natives have a fancy that they are deterred 

 by the camuduors, the great water serpents, which inhabit this 

 river, for these are inveterate enemies, and the deep black watef 

 of this river must give a decided advantage to the water ser- 

 pent. 



It is asserted that the animal buries itself in the mud, to pass 

 the summer or dry weather, when the water of the lakes is dry- 

 ing up. Jose Yustre, however, says that the cayman and great 

 serpents do not inter themselves in the ground, as represented by 

 Humboldt ; that they do not roar ; and that the tiger always 

 kills the cayman in combat, the latter being so inflexible that he 

 cannot get a grasp of the tiger, who springs upon his back and 

 gores the neck. He confirms the story that the cayman ever 

 avoids the porpess. 



