BBNBHAW.] 



ALLIGATOR MOUND. 



15^ 



than because it was known in the vicinity as such , this designation having 

 been adopted by Squier and Davis, as they frankly say, " for want of 

 a better "adding "although the figure bears as close a resemblance to 

 the lizard as any other reptile." (Ancient Monuments, p. 90.) 



In truth it bears a superficial likeness to almost any long-tailed ani- 

 mal which has the power of curling its tail— which the alligator has not — 

 as, for instance, the opossum. It is, however, the merest guess-work to 

 attempt to confine its resemblances to any particular animal. Never- 

 theless recent writers have described this as the " alligator mound" 

 without suggesting a word of donbt as to its want of positive resem- 

 blance to that saurian. 



