1212 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIKTY ISLLLLTIN 



of cD.'i jccturf. but tlicy are of a nature witli 

 otlier statements eoiieernins; tile qualities of the 

 other animals and plants known to the ancients, 

 especially when they were rare or of unusual 

 form. 



The name Hippocampus, hy which this fisii 

 was known to the ancient Greeks and which 

 was borrowed by the Romans, and which is now 

 used as the seientitie name of the genus, is not 

 to be translated "sea-horse." Instead it is a 

 combination of two Greek words, the first of 

 wliieli means horse and refers to the body, whicji 

 is like the head and neck of a horse, while the 

 latter part of the word means a worm or some 

 sea monster and refers to the tail. Rondelet and 

 other older writers go very fully into the deri- 

 vation of the name, ajjparently to prove to their 

 readers that the Hippocampus is not to be con- 

 fused with the mythical sea-horse with the tail 

 of a dolphin, such as Xeptune drove to his 

 chariot and which was written about by the 

 classical Greek authors. 



The name "sea-horse." or rather its equiva- 

 lent in the languages of various Mediterranean 

 countries, was in use in the middle ages. Chei'al 

 mariii, chaval, chei-alot were in common use, as 

 were also a number of other names meaning sea 

 dragon, and sea salamander, sea cock and the 

 like. 



THF. CARE OF YOUXG ALLIGATORS. 



POND TURTLES AND TORTOISES.* 



Bif C. H. TowxsEXD. 



YOl'NG alligators do not thrive in the 

 hands of the amateur, esjjeeially in winter. 

 if (uie may judge by the number of emaci- 

 ated s])eeimens annually ]iresented to the Aqua- 

 rium. 



The returning Florida tourist usually has 

 some baby alligators, which refusing to feed in 

 our chillv northern climate, are brought to 

 the Aquarium, perhaps during intensely cold 

 weather, in nothing warmer than a pasteboard 

 liox. If this last thoughtless act does not finish 

 them at once the attendants are usually able 

 to ))iill them through with the aid of warm 

 water, (old-blooded reptiles, such as alligators 

 .ind turtles, must have w.arm quarters. They 

 should be kept in aquari.i or other vessels into 

 which sunlight can enter, and the vessel placed 

 where it will not become cold. If ke|it near a 

 window for the benefit of the sunshine, which 



"The cure nf these aiiim.ils heinp n subject of 

 inquiry at the Xcw York .\(iiiiirium, this article 

 lias been reprinted from the Bullkti.v for April, 1907. 



is life to them, care should be taken that they 

 are also near a heater. 



The temperature of the ordinary living-room 

 in winter is scarcely high enough to keep alli- 

 gators active, since they need a warmth of 7.5 

 to 85 degrees, a higher temper.iture than the 

 human habitation should have. They require 

 not only warm water, but a place where they 

 can crawl out at times. The water need not be 

 more than a few inches deep, and the platform 

 or small log on which they rest should be placed 

 in such a way that they can climb ujion it easily. 

 .\lligators in captivity are most comfortable 

 and active when they have access to water that 

 is nearly tepid, and it is their habit to float 

 much on the surface. Pond turtles require not 

 only warm water, but also the heat of the sun. 

 For that reason turtles do not flourish as well in 

 the New York Aquarium as they would in a 

 building more accessible to sunshine. The tem- 

 jior.iry warming of torpid alligators or turtles 

 ill boxes set near a heater is useless. If they 

 can not be kept where both air and water are 

 permanently warm, they should be dispensed 

 with. 



The numerous chilled and weak alligators 

 sent to the Zoological Park each year, are 

 placed in the sunny Reptile House in a tank 

 of water with a steam pipe in it. After a 

 thorough warming up in water of 80 to 90 de- 

 grees temperature, they begin to feed, and in 

 three years will be a yard long, and weigh 

 twelve or fourteen pounds. The State of Florid.i 

 is making a mistake in allowing the present 

 heavy export of young alligators, which are 

 practically all lost by being carried north. 

 Large alligators are now scarce, and the supply 

 of alligators for leather is almost exhausted. 



Since alligators and turtles do not feed unless 

 kept perm.ineiitly warm, it is necessary to first 

 provide them with quarters where they will 

 have a temperature of certainly not less than 

 "•5 degrees of both air and water, and the tem- 

 perature should really be higher. They should 

 also have the benefit of sunshine. Forcing 

 cold alligators to eat by cramming food into 

 their m<iuths is admissible only temporarily. 

 They will eat freely when the water and air 

 are warm enough, and will grow amazingly. 

 They eat such a variety of foods that it is 

 easy enough to provide for them. 



.\lligators and sn.-ipping turtles are flesh 

 <aters .and may be pro\ ided with small minnows. 

 frogs, tadjioles. worms, grubs, crayfish, shrimps, 

 and small crabs, cither dead or .alive. When 

 these can not be had, they will eat fresh 

 chopped meat, fish, clams, and oysters. Man}- 



