REPTILIA 



245 



They differ from the other Crocodilia 



but feed entirely upon fish, 

 in that they have an 

 extremely long, nar- 

 row snout, which re- 

 sembles that of a 

 gar-pike. Little is 

 known as to the hab- 

 its of the ga vials. 



Family Crocodil- 

 idae. This group in- 

 cludes the old world 

 crocodiles and old 

 and new world alli- 

 gators. 



The common 

 American alligator 

 (Fig. 137, A), Alli- 

 gator mississippien- 

 sis, occurs largely in 

 the southeastern 

 States, living in the 

 smaller streams and 

 ponds. They usually 

 lie in shallow water 

 with only the eyes 

 and the nostrils ex- 

 posed. When bask- 

 ing on the shore and 

 disturbed by enemies 

 they take to the 

 water and quickly 

 seek the bottom, 

 where they bury 



themselves in the FlG i37._Group of Crocodilia. A, Alligator missis- 

 mud, from whence it sippiensis; B, Crocodilus amencanus; C, Gavialis gan- 

 is difficult to dislodge 9 eticus - (Redrawn, A and B, after Ditmars, C, after 



mi , Lydekker). 



them. They are not 



as large as the largest crocodiles, reaching a length hardly over 

 twelve feet. The female digs a large nest in the humus and dead 



