24 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Capable of being iu some measure domesticated. 



These creatures,, like the crocodile and turtles/ 

 deposit their eggs at two or three different pe- 

 riods, laying from twenty to about twenty-four 

 at each time. It is said that those of Cayenne 

 and Surinam raise a little hillock on the bank of 

 the river they frequent, and, hollowing this out 

 in the middle, amass together a heap of leaves 

 and other vegetable refuse, in which they deposit 

 their eggs. These being also covered up with 

 leaves, a fermentation ensues, by the heat of 

 which, in addition to that of the atmosphere, the 

 eggs are hatched. They generally lay their eggs 

 in the month of April. Multitudes of these arc 

 destroyed by the vultures, and immense numbers 

 of the young animals are devoured, as soon as 

 they reach the water, by the various species of 

 fish. 



When taken young the alligator may in some 

 measure be domesticated. Dr. Brickell saw one 

 that was caught not long after being hatched, 

 and put into a large pond before a planter's 

 house. It remained near half a year, during 

 which time it was regularly fed with the entrails 

 of fowls and raw meat. It frequently came into 

 the house, where it would remain for a short 

 time, and then return again to its shelter in the 

 pond. It was supposed at last to steal away to 

 a creek near the plantation ; for it was one day 

 missing, and from that time was never afterward* 

 found. 



