ALLIGATOR GAB. 775 



Litholepis spatula, Jordan, Man. Vert., 2d Ed., 342, 1878, 



Litholepis adamantinua, Rapinesquk, Am. Monthly Mag., 1818, iii, 447 ; loh. Oh., 76.— 



Jordan, BnU. Bnff. Soo. Nat. Hist., 1876, 96 ; Man. Vert., 1st Ed. 

 Lepisosteus (AtractoBteas) ferox, Rabinksqcje, loh. Oh., 1820,75. — Qirard, Pac. E. R. Snrv., 



X, 353, 1858. 

 Lepisosteus ferox, Kirtland, Rept. Zool. Ohio, 1838, 170, 196 ; Bost. Jonrn. Nat. Hist., iv, 



18.— Stoker, Synopsis, 466. 

 Atraeiosteus ferox, Dumkril, Hist. Nat. des Poissons, 1870. — Jordan, Ind. Geol. Surv., 



1874, 227. 

 Lepidosieus {Atractosteus) berlandieri, Girard, Pao. R. R. Sarv., x, 353. 

 Airactosteus ludus, Dumeril, op. oit. 

 Lepicbstem viridis, Gunther, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mas., viii, 3 JU, 1870 (probably not Esox 



viridis, Gmelin). 



Description,. — Body comparatively stont, subterete ; head moderate, forming more than 

 one-fourth the length ; snout broad, depressed, its length being about half of the total 

 length of the head ; general color oUvaoeons, the young beicg more or less spotted, 

 especially posteriorly and on the fius. D., 8 ; A , 8 ; lat. 1., 60. Length, 8 feet or more 

 when adult. 



Habitat, warmer parts of America. Central America, Mexico, Cuba, Gulf States 

 ascending the Mississippi and its tributaries to Kansas, Illinois and Ohio. 



Diagnosis. — The great Alligator Gar may be known from the other 

 species by its broad, depressed snout, and by the presence of two series of 

 large teeth on each side of the jaw. 



Habits. — The habits of this species are doubtless similar to those of 

 the other Gars, except that its greater size may enable it to feed upon 

 larger animals. The fish is essentially a tropical species and is probably 

 now very rarely seen in the Ohio River. I have never seen a specimen 

 from the Ohio River. Dr. Kirtland knew of but two or three having 

 been taken in its waters, and Rafinesque apparently saw but the jaws 

 of one. Specimens from the Lower Mississippi, Texas and Florida are 

 however, not rare in collections. 



This fish, with its coat of mail and long, sharp teeth is, doubtless, a 

 formidable one, but its ferocity has probably been somewhat exaggerated 

 by newspaper correspondents and other irresponsible writers. 



'R&G.nesqae' 8 lemaTka on hia" Litholepis adam%ntimts" are worth quot- 

 ing: 



"This may be reckoned the wonder of the Ohio. It is only found as far up as the 

 falls, and probably lives also in the Mississippi, I have seen it, but only at a distance, 

 and have been shown some of its singular scales. Wonderful stories are related con- 

 cerning this fish, but I have principally relied upon the description and figure given me 

 by Mr. Audubon. Its length is from 4 to 10 feet. One was caught which weighed 400 

 pounds. It lies sometimes asleep or motionless on the surface of the water, and may be 

 mistaken for a log or a snag. It is impossible to take it in any other way than with the 

 seine or a very strong hook, the prongs of the gig cannot pierce the scales which are as 



