the North- American Alligator. 109 



ficiency of heat is not the only cause of the torpid 

 condition of animals. 



It may not, perhaps, be an easy task to assign a 

 satisfactory cause for the singular instinctive appetite, 

 which leads the alligator, before going into the torpid 

 state, to swallow pine-knots, and other somewhat 

 similar substances. But I apprehend, that these sub- 

 stances, when taken in by the animal, act, in some 

 measure, by keeping up a certain degree of action in 

 its stomach, and, consequently, in every part of the 

 system, and thereby prevent the death of the animal, 

 which might, otherwise, be destroyed, by the long- 

 continued application of cold. Some facts, mentioned 

 by Dr. Pallas, though they respect a very different 

 family of animals, render this conjecture not a little 

 plausible*. 



This subject is worthy of more attention. In par- 

 ticular, it will be well to inquire, whether the alliga- 

 tor does swallow pine-knots, stones, &c, in those 

 parts of America, in which it does not pass into the 

 torpid state. 



February 20th, 1805. 



. * Historia Glirium, &c. 



