PONDEROUS REPTILES 203 



Accounts of his size and strength went forth 

 to many places and he was finally bought by 

 a lady in Virginia who followed the unique 

 occupation of keeping an alligator farm. 

 From this lady, the Director of the New York 

 Zoological Park, Mr. W. T. Hornaday, heard' 

 of Old Mose, and not so very long afterward 

 Old Mose became one of the residents of the 

 alligator pool in the Eeptile House, where I 

 made his acquaintance. 



Naturally he was the biggest alligator there, 

 and he let every one know it in just as ob- 

 jectionable a manner as he could. Not one 

 of the other alligators dare come near him; 

 it was almost a liberty to take even a little 

 swim in the pool. Even when not interfering 

 with him in any way, or even going near him, 

 Old Mose would occasionally make a sudden 

 rush and, with open jaws, drive the un- 

 fortunate creatures hither and thither. Finally 

 it became a question what to do with him. 

 One special alligator, for some unknown rea- 

 son, became his especial aversion. This alli- 

 gator, who goes by the name of Number Two, 



