62 THE ALLIGATOR'S LIFE HISTORY 



ping season in the Spring of 1916, Max and another man 

 with a pole and hook pulled this alligator out of his den, 

 and tied him up ; but he was so heavy they could not pull him 

 to the nearest bayou which was about three miles away; so 

 they killed him and brought me the skin. The skin, with- 

 out stretching, measured seventeen feet, ten inches with 

 about four inches off the end of the tail and the bone of the 

 nose extended at least four inches beyond the point where 

 the skin began on the under jaw. I had this skin tanned 

 which caused it to shrink somewhat, but it still measures 

 seventeen feet, nine inches as is shown in the photograph 

 accompanying this article. 



I am sure these large alligators just referred to were of 

 exceptional size and much larger than normal, and were 

 very old individuals, probably older and larger than alli- 

 gators will ever again attain. I think about fifteen feet in 

 length is the normal size male alligators should reach, 

 ks there were many of about this size in the early 

 clays before they were destroyed by hide-hunters; but 

 to attain a size of fifteen feet an alligator must, I 

 think, live for at least thirty to forty years, as we know 

 the rate of growth in the males under normal conditions is 

 about one foot a year up to a length of nine or ten feet, and 

 after this length is reached the average growth per year 

 is not more than a very few inches. Because of the extensive 

 hunting of these creatures for their skins, and the ease, due 

 to internal combustion engines, with which skin-hunters can 

 reach the most distant and secluded sections, it is extremely 

 doubtful if an alligator will be allowed to live long enough 

 to attain maximum size. 



I have for many years kept a number of large alligators 

 in confinement in as near a natural condition as possible, 

 and have tried in every way to get alive very large in- 

 dividuals. I have a standing offer of one hundred dollars 

 for every thirteen foot alligator brought to me in good con- 

 dition, and an offer of a bonus of fifty dollars a foot for each 



