HISTORY OF THE ALLIGATOR. 155 



mammalia are generally foundered by the blow of the tail, 

 and then seized by the head and drawn under water till 

 they are suffocated. But in what state soever prey of this 

 description is eaten, whether recent or after it has been 

 partially decomposed by time, it is always eaten on land. 

 They do not feed underwater, any more than they breathe 

 in that situation ; but while in the water, they often con- 

 trive to feed in the air. They do so both upon birds and 

 fishes. The low-flying ones of the former, they sometimes 

 catch as they skim the surface on the wing ; and they get 

 under the swimmers, jerk them clear of the water with the 

 snout, and instantly seize and swallow them. When it 

 preys on fishes, it gets below them and endeavors to jerk 

 them out of the water in a similar manner, in which case 

 it swallows them at once ; but if it seize them under 

 water, it rises to the surface, tosses them into the air, and 

 again seizes and swallows them as they fall. The latter 

 manoeuvre has been stated by travellers, and the state- 

 ment has been repeated by compilers, to be performed in 

 order that the alligator may expel from its rnouth the 

 water which it has taken in while seizing the fish. This, 

 however, is an absurdity. The fish in the water is taken 

 crosswise ; and consequently the reptile, by merely rising 

 to the surface, could easily retain it and expel the water. 

 But the fish, especially if it be of considerable length, is 

 held in such a way as that it cannot easily be swallowed. 

 It is therefore tossed into the air ; and following the gene- 

 ral law of animals in that state, (for the exception of cats 

 is doubtful,) it comes down head foremost ; and thus is 

 either killed at once by the bite, or swallowed with ease. 

 Many of the mammalia deal with their small prey after a 

 similar manner. The dog, for instance, seizes a rat across 

 the body ; the vital parts are too far within the gape for 

 the canines ; the rat bites ; the dog gives a whine, tosses it 

 up in the air, seizes it by the head as it falls, and the rat 

 bites no more. 





