THK AX(iLER AXD HUNTSMAN 209 



"Though snakes are esteemed as food in many lands, 

 it is not likely they will ever be an important article of diet 

 in this country, both because of the almost universal repug- 

 nance with which they are regarded and because of the com- 

 parative scarcity of large serpents within our borders. Our 

 larger black snakes, though reaching a considerable length, 

 are so slender that the amount of flesh in their bodies is not 

 great, and there is probably not one person in ten thousand 

 who would knowingly eat a snake. 



With the croeodilia the matter of size cannot be raised 

 as an objection, since the largest members of this family 

 may reach a length of 30 feet and a weight of many hun- 

 dreds of pounds. Of course, neither an alligator nor a croc- 

 odile is a very attractive looking animal, but when skinned 

 and dismembered the body looks no more repulsive than any 

 other carcass that may be seen in any butcher's shop, and 

 the flesh is as white and attractive looking as the best beef 

 or pork. 



"The eggs of the croeodilia, which are usually about as 

 large as those of a goose, are often eaten by the natives in 

 the tropics. Never having eaten an alligator egg, I cannot 

 speak from personal experience of its flavor ; but it has al- 

 ways seemed strange to me that more use is not made of the 

 flesh of the alligator. This flesh is often said to have too 

 strong a flavor to be palatable ; I have eaten it, and it had no 

 such rank taste, but was decidedly agreeable, being as might 

 be expected of so amphibious an animal, somewhat like both 

 fish and flesh, yet not exactly either. 



"Perhaps greater care should be taken in skinning an 

 animal that is to be used for food in order that the flesh be 

 not tainted with the musk. It may be a lack of care in prep- 

 aration that has given rise to the impression that alligator 

 meat is too strong to be pleasant. 



"In many parts of tropical America the various species 

 of crocodiles and caymans are said to be very abundant, so 

 that if a means could be devised to preserve the flesh near 



