94 THE ALLIGATOR'S LIFE HISTORY 



She then crawled on top and at once began nest-building in 

 a most expert and methodical manner. Lying across the 

 nest pile, tail on one side, head on the other, she would 

 reach down catching the loose material, and the projecting 

 material which she had loosely piled at the base of the 

 mound, in her mouth, and holding it firmly, back across the 

 nest bringing the material across the center to the opposite 

 top side where it was deposited and firmed down as the 

 weight of her body was pushed forward across it to the 

 edge again. This work continued until two complete circles 

 of the nest had been made, and it was raised at least ten 

 inches higher; this work occupied two hours and twenty 

 minutes of time. She, now being apparently satisfied with 

 the height of her nest, crawled down and went slowly around 

 it, head held high, looking intently at the shape of the sides, 

 but paying most attention to the top. Being satisfied with 

 its appearance, she now went to the top of the mound and 

 placing her hind feet near the centre, lay flat, bracing her 

 front feet into the outside edge of the nest-material, she 

 then began drawing up and pushing back her hind feet 

 slowly one at a time and turning slowly around the rim of 

 the mound. This action pushed the twigs and leaves from 

 the center towards the outside rim of the mound, and after 

 a couple of circles of the mound had been made in this 

 manner, the center was decidedly hollow, and the outside 

 edges seemed raised at least ten to twelve inches above the 

 center. This was plainly shown by the curve of the alli- 

 gator's body as she worked out the depression. After two 

 hours and forty-five minutes of this work the nest-builder 

 slid down the side of the nest and without hesitation made 

 her way to the water. 



It was now a few minutes after one o'clock, and I sup- 

 posed she had "knocked off" work for lunch, but I was 

 afraid to leave as something might happen in the nest- 

 building during my absence. From time to time I could 

 hear considerable noise in the rushes in the pond which 



