A TAME ALLIGATOR. 337 



resided for nine years in the American States, where he 

 superintended the execution of some extensive works for the 

 American government. One of these works consisted in the 

 erection of a beacon in a swamp in one of the rivers, where 

 he caught a young alligator. This animal he made so per- 

 fectly tame, that it followed him about the house like a 

 dog, scrambling up the stairs after him, and showing much 

 affection and docility. Its great favourite, however, was a 

 cat, and the friendship was mutual. When the cat was 

 reposing herself before the fire (this was at New York), the 

 alligator would lay himself down, place his head upon the 

 cat, and in this attitude go to sleep. If the cat was absent, 

 the alligator was restless ; but he always appeared happy 

 when the cat was near him. The only instance in which 

 he showed any ferocity was in attacking a fox, which was 

 tied up in the yard. Probably, however, the fox resented 

 some playful advances, which the other had made, and thus 

 called forth the anger of the alligator. In attacking the fox 

 he did not make use of his mouth, but beat him with so 

 much severity with his tail, that had not the chain which con- 

 fined the fox broken, he would probably have killed him. 

 The alligator was fed on raw flesh, and sometimes with milk, 

 for which he showed great fondness. In cold weather he was 

 shut up in a box, with wool in it ; but having been forgotten 

 one frosty night, he was found dead in the morning." 

 ORDER III Order III consists of a large reptile belong- 

 Hatteria ^ n S to New Zealand which for anatomical rea- 

 Punctata. son s cannot be classed either with the Croco- 

 diles or the Lizards. It is rare if not almost extinct, but a 

 specimen may be seen in the Natural History Museum. 

 ORDER IV. The lizards form an exceedingly numerous 

 The Lizards, order. There are many hundreds of different 

 species, large and small, of which we can only refer to the 

 Chameleon, the Iguana, the common Lizard, and the Monitor. 

 The Chameleon. The Chameleon Family belongs to Africa, 



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