52 THE ALLIGATOR'S LIFE HISTORY 



nine feet, two inches, and had in its stomach the remnants 

 of a 'coon, two turtles and two snakes. 



These instances are proof enough that alligators kill very 

 large mammals for food. I have never known of, or heard 

 of an authentic case of a human being having been killed by 

 an alligator, but I have known of several persons being quite 

 badly bitten by alligators, because they were careless when 

 catching them. 



How quick an alligator can snap its jaws, was proven to 

 me during the Spring of 1933. One Sunday afternoon I 

 was walking with Doctor and Mrs. Crawford through my 

 gardens when we came across a seven foot female alligator 

 that had gotten out of its pen. Wishing to put it back, 

 I picked up a small stick which I put on its top jaw pressing 

 it closed. Holding the stick with my left hand, I reached 

 with my right to catch the alligator by its two jaws so that 

 I could tie them and then put it in the pen where it belonged. 

 I was a bit careless and did not keep my hand in front of 

 the alligator's mouth, but approached it a little from the 

 side, and just as I was about to grasp its closed jaws the 

 stick I was pressing them together with broke, and before 

 I could jerk my right hand away, the alligator with a snap 

 as quick as a flash, caught the first finger of my hand in its 

 mouth driving two teeth through at the joint. I was lucky 

 enough, as it loosed my finger and made a grab for my hand, 

 to jerk clear; for if it had caught my hand I would probably 

 have lost the use of it. 



The digestive juices of an alligator must be very strong 

 for any food swallowed is digested thoroughly. Even 

 bones, hair, feathers and scales are so completely changed in 

 the process of digestion that no trace of them is seen in the 

 excrement. In opening the stomachs of alligators to ex- 

 amine their contents, when the stomach juices have gotten 

 on my hand, I have experienced a severe burning sensation, 

 that persisted for quite an hour or more, and made my skin 

 feel as if rubbed with strong red pepper. Anything swal- 



