THE ALLIGATOR. 55 



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 vege- 

 table 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 hajtched. — They ge- 

 nerally lay their eggs in the month of April*. 

 Multitudes of these are destroyed by the Vultures, 

 and immense numbers of the young animals are de- 

 voured, as soon as they reach the water, by the va- 

 rious species of fish. 



It appears that the Alligator, when caught very 

 young, may be in some measure 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 sup- 

 posed at last to steal away to a creek near the plan- 

 tation ; for it was one day missing, and from that 

 time was never afterwards seen f. 



The voice of these animals is very loud and dread- 

 ful, being stronger than the roar of a bull. They have 

 an unpleasant and very powerful musky scent : M. 



' M' de la Borde, quoted in Shaw's Gen. Zool. iii. 196. 

 + Brickelljyis^. 



E 





