NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL PARK. 175 



South America and attains a maximum length of shell of 

 about 14 inches. The shell is elongated and blackish, each 

 of the shields having a yellowish center. Like all of the 

 tortoises, this is a herbivorous reptile. 



The Marine Turtles.— At the New York Aquarium, sit- 

 uated in Battery Park, and managed by the New York 

 Zoological Society, will be found a fine collection of such 

 large sea-turtles as the Loggerhead, Green Turtle and 

 Hawksbill, which require salt water. 



The Soft-Shelled Turtle, {Aspidonectes ferox).— As to liv- 

 ing relatives, this strange genus seems apropos of nothing. 

 Like some of the marine turtles its shell is greatly reduced 

 in weight, so that it can float more readily ; instead of being 

 solid bone, it terminates in a wide, thin edge of cartilage, 

 which is so soft that when properly boiled it constitutes 

 palatable food. 



THE CROCODILES AND ALLIGATORS. 



The Order of Crocodilians. — This important Order, the 

 members of which are widely distributed throughout the 

 tropics and sub-tropics of the world, contains nineteen 

 species. At this point it is well to correct certain very 

 general misapprehensions regarding crocodilians. 



Crocodiles are not confined to the Old World ; at least 

 three species being found abundantly in tropical America. 



The "movement" of a crocodile's jaw differs in no man- 

 ner whatever from that of an alligator. 



Only a few species of crocodiles are dangerous to man. 



There is no authentic record of the loss of a human life 

 through our common alligator. 



The Alligator genus embraces the American Alligator, 

 (A. mississippiensis), of the southern United States and a 

 small species found in China ! The head of the Alligator is 

 very flat and its sides are nearly parallel, while the head of 

 a typical crocodile is nearly triangular. 



The American Alligator is well represented in the Pool in 

 the Reptile House, by several lusty specimens, all of which 

 eat voraciously, are growing rapidly, and undoubtedly en- 

 joying life. The largest specimen, a burly monster over 

 twelve feet in length, has grown nearly five feet in length 

 since its arrival here in 1899. 



In summer, the Alligator Pool on the hill, southeast of the 

 Reptile House, is well stocked with alligators of various 



