148 SAUEIANS. 



a cord in such a manner that, supposing the cord to be an arrow, 

 the four sticks would form the head of it. They then fasten the 

 other end of the cord round a tree, and bait with meat. This 

 device is thrown into the water. When the Caiman snaps at the 

 prey the points of the hook, on straining on the line, penetrate 

 into its flesh. Having waited till the Alligator is dead, it is drawn 

 from the water, when the captors further gratify their dislike and 

 spirit of revenge by breaking its skull with stones and sticks. 



Another method of capturing Alligators is practised by the 

 residents on the upper waters of the giant river Orinoco. A tree 

 is bent (generally a bamboo is selected from its elasticity) till the 

 top is brought down to the butt, a bait is then placed on a sharp 

 hook, the line attached to it being fastened securely to the small 

 end of the bent tree, which is caused to relax its position by an 

 ingenious piece of mechanism which gives way the moment the 

 least strain is felt upon the line ; the tree-point becoming thus 

 released, straightens itself with great velocity, and drags the 

 victim from the water. 



Frequently the Alligator, from constant pursuit and interrup- 

 tion, becomes excessively wary and difficult to destroy ; when 

 such is the case, a live bait is sometimes successfully employed. 

 For instance, a Dog with a hook tied to his back is taken in a 

 canoe and dropped in the water ; it is seldom the unfortunate cur 

 is permitted to swim far before being seized. 



It is currently believed that the Alligator prefers dog-flesh to 

 all others. The negroes on the plantations in the South- Western 

 States of America, by imitating the barking of a dog, frequently 

 lure these reptiles from their hiding-places, when a well-directed 

 bullet terminates their career. 



Alligators are very voracious, but, like Serpents and Turtles, 

 they can live a long time without nourishment. In Brown's 

 " Natural History of Jamaica," he asserts that he has known the 

 Caiman to live several months without food. The following 

 experiments have been tried in that island : The mouth of an 

 Alligator was muzzled by a strong cord, it was then thrown 

 into a reservoir of water. Thus these animals lived a consider- 

 able time. They were seen to rise occasionally to the surface 

 of the water, until death came to their rescue. Let us add to 



