THE ALLIGATOR'S LIFE HISTORY 23 



length of five feet; then they grow only about one and 

 one-half to two inches a year." 



Alligators under normal conditions grow more than 

 twelve inches the first year, and the males about twelve 

 inches a year each succeeding year until nine or ten feet in 

 length. The females maintain the same rate of growth 

 as the males up to seven feet. After about seven feet in 

 length is reached the females grow more slowly, as their 

 maximum growth is about nine feet. I have measured 

 hundreds of newly-hatched alligators and never saw one 

 less than eight inches in length. They usually measure 

 nine inches and more. 



Page 184 "A pole, about seven or eight feet in 

 length, of two-inch dressed pine with an iron hook at 

 one end is used. An alligator hole is found and the 

 hunter proceeds to "feel" for the 'gator by sounding the 

 ground around the hole to locate the cave. If "felt" 

 the hunter leaves the hole a short distance and calls the 

 reptile by imitating its suckling cry of "umph, umph, 

 umph." As a rule, the 'gator responds and crawls out 

 of the hole; if it is the size wanted, the hunter with a 

 well-aimed throw of his hand axe, stuns the 'gator and 

 with additional licks finishes it." 



The alligator is no simpleton, and if a hunter punches 

 one with a hooked pole, you may be quite sure that alligator 

 will stay out of sight for several hours, in spite of the 

 hunter's "umphing" then whoever saw an alligator 

 "suckling"? A hunter who is skillful enough to stun an 

 alligator by a "throw of his hand axe" could find a far 

 more lucrative profession as an axethrower on the vaude- 

 ville stage. Then, how much more efficient is a fifteen to 

 eighteen foot pole, the length really used for locating the 

 alligator to be "felt" way back in its den under the ground, 

 than one "seven or eight feet in length." If the alligator 

 is "felt" it is prodded with the hook-end of the pole until 



