HABITS OF THE ALLIGATOE. 297 



Frequentl}", while hunting on the coast regions of 

 Texas, amongst the creeks and marshy pools, which are 

 rather plentiful towards the Grulf of Mexico, I have 

 seen low long-looking haycocks which, on inspection, 

 proved to be the nests of alligators. More than once 

 I have intruded rather rudely upon the old one, who 

 has at once shuffled off into the neighbouring creek, 

 leaving a very strong smell of musk behind. 



The female alligator is said to be a very tender and 

 careful mother : at least so says Chateaubriand, who, I 

 am afraid, had more hankering after poetical effect in 

 his writings than the habits of the beast, as it is to be 

 found in the swamps of Texas, would justify. His 

 words are : — 



' ^^^latever may be the apparent deformity of the 

 alligator, they possess many traits of divine goodness. 



' It is a miraculous and touching contrast to see an 

 alligator make her nest and lay her eggs, and, after the 

 little monsters are hatched, to notice the solicitude 

 which the dam displays for her famil}^ The amazon 

 keeps vigilant watch while the fires of day glow upon 

 them. As soon as they are hatched, the mother takes 

 them under her protection, leads them to the river, 

 bathes them in the running waters, teaches them to 

 swim, catches fish for their subsistence, and pro- 

 tects them from the males, who would devour them as 

 food.' 



This is a very fine description of the affair, and it 



