68 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. 
to the end of the pole, and a rope fastened to the hook in case the 
pole should break. The alligator may then be hooked, pulled out 
of the hole, and shot; but it frequently requires two or three men to 
accomplish this if it be a large one. While being drawn to the 
entrance of the hole he roars and bellows ina lively manner. I 
have taken several alligators in this manner which measured over 
eleven feet in length. 
When alligators fight with each other they attempt to seize the 
upper jaw. I once saw two large alligators fighting in a very shal- 
low pond; each made several 
ineffectual attempts to obtain 
the jaw hold without success. 
At last the larger one suc- 
ceeded in seizing his oppo- 
nent by the upper jaw and 
immediately rolled over and 
over, breaking his opponent’s 
jaw close to the head, killing 
him instantly. This is, I am 
told, the usual method em- 
ployed by alligators when 
fighting with one another. 
In localities where alliga- 
tors are much hunted they 
become very wary and shy, 
and lay with their heads to- 
ward the water, sleeping 
with ‘* one eye open,” and at 
the slightest sound they do 
the ‘‘ vanishing lady” to per- 
fection. A hunter paddles 
cautiously up some creek where he knows a large alligator some- 
times repairs for an afternoon siesta — one careless motion so that the 
paddle just touches the side of the boat and a loud splash in the dis- 
tance tells him his chance to kill that alligator has gone for that day. 
ALLIGATOR. 
