156 POPULAR OPPICIAL atllDE. 



THE CROCODILES AND ALLIGATORS. 



The Order of Crocodiles. — 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. mississippicnsis) , of the southern United States and a 

 small species found in China! The head of the Alligal.or 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 vindoubtedly 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 

 sizes, and it is there that visitors can secure most realistic 

 impressions of the appearance of this species in a state of 

 nature, and in abundant number. 



Under favorable conditions, — warm water and air, good 

 light, plenty of room, and abundant food, — the Alligator 

 grows rapidly. A specimen hatched in our Reptile House 

 in October, 1900, was in March, 1907, 6 feet 2 inches long, 

 and weighed 75 pounds. 



The Crocodile genus is widely represented throughout the 

 world. Of the whole eleven species, the American con- 

 tinent contains four — the Florida Crocodile, (Crocodilus 

 acittus floridanus) , attaining a length of 14 feet, which was 

 discovered at the head of Biscayne Bay, in 1875, by W. T. 

 Hornaday; the American Crocodile (C. acutus) ; the sharp- 

 nosed Orinoco Crocodile {Crocodilus intermedins), found in 



