ALLIGATORS AND CROCODILES. 



71 



upper jaw into which the two front teeth of the lower jaw enter. 

 As a rule, it lives in the bays and inland creeks which abound in the 

 southern portion of the State. Passing through some of these 

 creeks, where the banks are one or two feet above high water mark, 

 numbers of their well-worn slides may be seen, where they climb out 

 on the bank to sleep and sun themselves. It is claimed that the 

 crocodile cannot be hunted at night, but as I do not hunt in that 

 manner I have no personal knowledge of the subject. The hunters 

 claim that the crocodiles will not look at a light and that they cannot 

 " shine their eyes," as they can those of an alligator, which is lucky 

 for the crocodiles, as they are not very numerous even now. 



Crocodiles grow to a larger size than the alligator. At one time 





HEAD OF CROCODILE. 



they were numerous in Indian Creek, Biscayne Bay, and also in 

 Arch Creek in the same locality, but they are not as plenty now as 

 formerly. Further south, through Card Sound and below, is the 

 present home of the crocodile in any numbers, and the intricate net- 

 work of islands and lagoons makes it very difficult for any one 

 except a professional hunter to find them. The largest crocodile I 

 have ever killed measured thirteen feet eight inches in length. I 



