The Alligator. 519 



of the crocodile. The principal mark of distinction is, 

 that the former has its head and part of the neck more 

 smooth than the latter, and the snout is considerably 

 more wide and flat, as well as more rounded at the ex- 

 tremity. The largest of these animals do not usually 

 exceed eighteen feet. Alligators are natives of the 

 warmer parts of America, and are the dread of all living 

 animals. Their voracity is so great that they do not 

 spare even mankind. 



The voice of the Alligator is loud and harsh. They 

 have an unpleasant and powerful musky scent. M. Pages 

 says, that near one of the rivers in America, where they 

 were numerous, their effluvia was so strong as to impreg- 

 nate his provisions, and even to give them the nauseous 

 taste of rotten musk. This effluvium proceeds chiefly 

 from, four glands, two of which are situated in the groin, 

 near each thigh, and the other two at the breast, under 

 each fore leg. Dainpier informs us that, when his men 

 killed an Alligator, they generally took out these glands, 

 and, after having dried them, wore them in their hats 

 by way of perfume. 



The following anecdote of the voracity of this animal 

 is related by Waterton, in his " Wanderings in South 

 America": " One Sunday evening, some years ago, as I 

 was walking with Don Felipe de Ynciarte, governor of 

 Angustura, on the bank of the Oroonoque, * Stop here a 

 minute or two, Don Carlos,' said he to me, * while I re- 

 count a sad accident. One fine evening last year, as the 

 people of Angustura were sauntering up and down here, 

 in the Alameda, I was within twenty yards of this place, 

 when I saw a large Cayman rush out of the river, seize 

 a man, and carry him down, before anybody had it in 

 his power to assist him. The screams of the poor fellow 

 were terrible, as the Cayman was running off with him. 

 He plunged into the river with his prey ; we instantly 

 lost sight of him, and never saw or heard him more.' " 



