ELEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT. 153 



October, 1900 — Hatched Weight i-yi ounces. 



October, 1901 " 934 ounces. 



August, 1902 " 3 pounds. 



March, 1903 " 14 



October, 1906 " 50 " 



By combining his notes on three series of alHgators, the writer 

 is enabled to prepare the following table, showing the rate of 

 srrowth of the Alligator as he has observed it : 



GROWTH OF THE AMERICAN ALLIGATOR. 



At time of hatching 8 inches. Weight, l^ ounces. 



At one year I foot 6 inches. 



At two years 2 feet 2 inches. 



At three years 3 feet i inch. 



At four years 4 feet — inches. 



At five years 4 feet 10 inches. 



At six years 5 feet 4 inches. Weight, 50 pounds. 



At seven years 6 feet 2 inches. (Maturity.) 



At eight years 6 feet 1 1 inches. 



At nine years 8 feet 2 inches. 



At ten years g feet 3 inches. 



At eleven years 10 feet 11 inches. 



At twelve years 11 feet 3 inches. 



At thirteen years 11 feet 5 inches. 



At fourteen years 11 feet 8 inches. 



At fifteen years 12 feet. Estimated weight, 650 



pounds. 



It appears that after an alligator attains the patriarchal size of 

 eleven feet, its growth is much slower. However, with an exam- 

 ple living under favorable conditions, there is a steady increase, 

 the limit of growth appearing to be about fourteen feet. "Old 

 ]\Iose," a fine specimen, was twelve feet long when received at 

 the Reptile House in 1899. In July, 1903, he had increased in 

 length to twelve feet five inches. When measured in 1906, he 

 showed a length of twelve feet seven inches. 



Two six-foot alligators have been in the Reptile House 

 for over seven years. They have made absolutely no increase in 

 size. Four years ago, one of them deposited a number of eggs. 



A curious example has been under the writer's observation for 

 over fifteen years. This specimen was, years ago, kept in a small 

 tank in the writer's studv. The accommodations were not suit- 



