188 THE HIVE OF THE BEE-HUNTER. 



watching, like a dainty gourmand, the fattest frogs and 

 longest snakes ; but they are in the height of their glo- 

 ry, stretched out upon the sand-bar in the meridian sun, 

 when the summer heats pour down and radiate back 

 from the parched sand, as tangibly as they would from 

 red-hot iron. In such places will they bask, and blow 

 off, with a loud noise, the inflated air and water which 

 expands within them, occasionally rolling about their 

 swinish eyes with a slowness of motion, which, while it 

 expresses the most perfect satisfaction, is in no way cal- 

 culated to agitate their nerves, or discompose them, by 

 too suddenly taking the impression of outward objects. 



While thus disposed, and after the first nap is taken, 

 they amuse themselves with opening their huge jaws to 

 their widest extent, upon the inside of which, instinct- 

 ively settle, thousands of mosquitoes and other noxious 

 insects which infest the abode of the alligator. When 

 the inside of the mouth is thus covered, the reptile brings 

 his jaws together with inconceivable velocity, gives a 

 gulp or two, and again sets his formidable trap for this 

 small game. 



Some years since, a gentleman in the southern part 

 of Louisiana, on " opening a plantation," found, after 

 most of the forest trees had been cleared off, that in the 

 centre of his land was a boggy piece of low soil, nearly 

 twenty acres in extent. This place was singularly infest- 

 ed with alligators. Among the first victims that fell a prey 

 to their rapacity, were a number of hogs and fine poultry ; 



