ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 



287 



in ihc old scu-lion pool. The distribution ol 

 Crocodiliis porosiis is the most extensive of any 

 member of its family. It inhabits the coast swamps 

 of India, Malaysia, and northern Australia, even 

 occurring on small isolated islands in vast expanses 

 of the eastern oceans. This may be accounted for 

 by the bold swimming habits of the species. 

 Specimens are often sighted by vessels when several 

 hundred miles from land. 



It is only in the extreme southern portion of the 

 Florida peninsula that a crocodile occurs in any 

 portion of the United States. It represents a 

 species abundant in Mexico and Central America. 

 This freak occurrence was probabl}' caused b\- the 

 species crossing the Gulf of Mexico, possibly from 

 Yucatan, to the Florida Keys. Certain it is that 

 this species is often seen afloat in the Gulf. It 

 literally infests some of the coast swamps of eastern 

 Central America. 



Situated as they are in a barred-otT portion of the 

 inside pool, our Florida crocodiles illustrate well, 

 when compared with the three giant alligators in 

 the adjoining enclosure, two imjwrtant characters — ■ 

 the exceedingly narrow, shari)-i)ointcd snout of the 

 American Crocodile, as compared with the blunted 

 and rounded snout of the alligator, and the dis- 

 tinctly olivaceous hue of a crocodile, which is quite 

 ditTercnt from the dull black of an alligator, while 

 in their movements the crocodiles arc far more 

 supple and active. They are also so irritable that it 

 is impossible for the keeper to enter their emhoure, 

 though the men walk all about the large alligators, 

 even ste])])ing over the creatures' backs. The two 

 tine examples in the Reptile House were the gift of 

 Mr. A. W. Dimock. 



Our series of alligators varies from a twelve-foot 

 giant whose roar shakes the building, to tiny eight- 

 inch s|)ecimens brought north by tourists as Florida 

 souvenirs. Midway between these two extremes 

 are a number of specimens of all sizes. The most 

 valuable ones are the li\e that were hatched in the 

 Reptile House in igoi. At the time of hatching 

 they were six inches long and weighed one and 

 three Hiuarters ounces. They are now nearly six 

 feet long and each weighs seventy pounds. The 

 observations on the growth of these specimens are 

 steadily disproving old theories. Another interest- 

 ing alligator, an example of partial albinism, is 

 seven feet in length. 



A single representative of the Central and South 

 American genus. Caiman, is living in the outside 

 pool. This is a nearly mature specimen of the 

 Spectacled Caiman, (C sclerops), so called because 

 the eyelids are so rough and protruding that they 

 suggest the frame of a pair of spectacles. The 

 Caimans have rather a sharp snout, like the croc- 

 odiles, but from a structural point of view, the\- 

 are more nearly related to the alligator, as the 

 long teeth, the fourth on each side of the lower 



jaw — the ])air of canine teeth — fit into a /)il in the 

 upper jaw and are thus concealed when the ja\vs 

 are closed. r. l. p. 



nil; AITOMATIC-GUN CAMPAIGN 



EARLY in the present year it was decided to 

 raise a special fund for use in the Zoologi- 

 cal Society's campaign to establish the prin- 

 ciple that the deadliness of firearms aimed against 

 wild life must henceforth be limited, \\ilh the 

 consent of the Executive Committee a circular call 

 was prepared, and as funds were needed it was sent 

 out to annual members of the Society. 



If any additional proof had been needed to show 

 the keen interest of the members of this Societv in 

 our efforts to protect wild life, that call for funds 

 turnished it. The responses were quick, generous, 

 and willing. The letters of encouragement that 

 accompanied many of the checks were most grati- 

 fying and hel[)ful. With but few exceptions, the 

 remittances were for sums from §5.00 up to S25.00. 

 From 140 i)ersons we received a total of $1,003.00, 

 every cent of which was immediately acknowledged, 

 and turned over to the Society's Treasurer, Mr. 

 Percy R. Pyne. Ivxpenditures were made very 

 economically, and the fund lasted to tlie end of the 

 winter and spring campaign. Mr. Shields, the 

 Society's special agent for game protection, devoted 

 nearly his entire time to work in the legislatures 

 in which our bills were pending. The galkint work 

 he did will yet bear fruit. A portion of his report 

 of it is reproduced herewith. 



For the generous and prompt support and en- 

 couragement which we have received in this special 

 campaign fund, we are deeply grateful. There is 

 not the slightest question regarding the sentiments 

 of the 1,700 members of this Zoological Society 

 regarding the protection of wild life in .America. 



\v. r. H. 



HUNTING SONG BIRDS STOPPED 



E\'ERY Sunday since April ist a tour has been 

 made to some part of Westchester County, 

 north of New York City, in search of Sun- 

 day bird-hunters, and during that time not a man 

 with a gun has been seen nor have the sounds of 

 fire-arms been heard. 



Inquiries were made of many people along the 

 way if they had seen hunters or heard of any shoot- 

 ing, and not a single otTcnce has been reported. 



This is the direct result of the vigorous crusade 

 which the Zoological Society's game-wardens, John 

 Rose and Rudolph Bell, made on the bird-hunters 

 last summer and fall. For years past, hundreds of 

 Italians have hunted every Sunday all over West- 

 chester County, but when this organized raid was 

 made on them the practice was stojjped in short 

 order. 



