152 ^'EW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



thick basal stems of a large bush, these fully an inch and a half in 

 diameter, but about them the material composing the mound was 

 as carefully matted down as on the clear portions. 



The eggs were discovered about two and one-half feet down in 

 the center of the mound, in a single, irregular mass. They looked 

 strangely white and immaculate as compared with our hands 

 and clothing after breaking our way through the swamp. There 

 were thirty-seven eggs, averaging two and one-half inches long, 

 and an inch in diameter. Their shells were hard and brittle, con- 

 siderably thicker than the shell of a hen's egg, and when struck 

 together produced a metallic sound. The entire nest and its 

 contents were packed on our horses, brought to the nearest railway 

 station, and shipped to the Zoological Park. During all our 

 work there was no hint as to the whereabouts of the parent alli- 

 gator, though from the appearance of the much matted grass at 

 the edge of the pool it would seem she frequently visited the 

 vicinity of the nest. The pool itself was barely eight feet in 

 diameter, and was well sounded, but the result convinced us that 

 the female alligator was not hiding at the bottom. Near by was 

 a series of bayous connecting with the Savannah River low- 

 grounds. It was from the eggs in this nest that we hatched the 

 specimens which prompted the writer to prepare the present 

 article. 



The eggs began hatching on the 14th of October. But five 

 alligators emerged, the remainder of the eggs having evidently 

 been spoiled in the severe shaking received in transit. From, 

 the time of their arrival in New York to the period of hatching. 

 — the five hatching within a week's time, — the eggs were buried 

 in the medium composing the original nest, which was kept well 

 moistened. The process of incubation was carried on in one 

 of the Reptile House cages, at a temperature averaging 80 degrees 

 Fahrenheit. 



Upon hatching, the little alligators were very stout of body, w'ith 

 a chunky head, and short snout, the head being decidedly convex 

 at the top. They averaged eight inches in length, and showed 

 a weight of one and three-quarters of an ounce each. As they 

 were very well nourished by the egg yolk at the time of hatching, 

 they refused food for some days. They were decidedly active, 

 swimming or crawling about a shallow tank of warm water. 

 When disturbed they "barked" vigorously, and made efforts to 

 snap at the observer's fingers. 



At the present time, these alligators are over five feet long. 

 The following table shows their increase in weight : 



