208 lawson's history 



Vipers, black and gray. 



Tortois. 



Terebin, land and water. 



Brimstone snake. 



Egg or cMcken snake. 



Eel snake, or great loach. 



Brown lizard. 



Rotten wood worm, &c. 



The allegator is the same as the crocodile, and 

 differs only in name. They frequent the sides of 

 rivers, in the banks of which they make their 

 dwellings a great way under ground ; the hole or 

 mouth of their dens lying commonly two feet un- 

 der water, after which it rises till it be considera- 

 bly above the surface thereof. Here it is that this 

 amphibious monster dwells all the winter, sleep- 

 ing away his time till the spring appears, when 

 he comes from his cave, and daily swims up and 

 down the streams. He always breeds in some 

 fresh stream or clear fountain of water, yet seeks 

 his prey in the broad salt waters, that are brackish, 

 not on the sea side, where I never met with any. 

 He never devours men in Carolina, but uses all 

 ways to avoid them, yet he kills swine and dogs, 

 the former as they come to feed in the marshes, 

 the others as they swim over the creeks and wa- 

 ters. They are very mischievous to the wares 

 made for taking fish, into which they come to 

 prey on the fish that are caught in the ware, from 

 whence they cannot readily extricate themselves, 



