ARTIFICIAL INCUBATION OF ALLIGATOR EGGS. 
ALBERT M. REESE. 
THE writer received, about the first of August, 1900, a lot of 
alligator eggs from southern Georgia, and in order to get 
a series of embryos at different stages of development, it 
was necessary to find some means of incubating the eggs 
artificially. 
As is well known, the Florida alligator lays her eggs, about 
thirty in number, in a so-called nest, which she constructs of 
sticks, leaves, earth, etc., on the banks of the pond or stream 
in which she lives. The eggs are laid in the cavity of this 
nest, and are carefully covered and allowed to incubate by the 
heat of the sun. When the young alligators are about ready 
to hatch, they make a curious squeaking noise, which attracts 
the mother's attention, and she uncovers the eggs so that the 
young alligators may not be smothered in the nest after they 
escape from the eggs. 
The lot of eggs above mentioned was sent by express from 
Georgia to Baltimore, and arrived in good condition, being 
packed in damp leaves and Zu us, probably from the native 
nest. Several of the eggs were at once opened, and were 
found to contain living embryos in an advanced state of 
development. 
As the incubator which is ordinarily used for chick eggs 
was not in operation, an attempt was made to imitate nature, 
and the eggs were put into a large bucket of the loosely packed 
humus in which they had been received. Two thermometers 
were thrust into the umus, one deep down to the bottom of 
the bucket, and the other near the surface. The whole artifi- 
cial nest was covered with thick cloths and. put in the sun to 
warm. Before sunset the nest was brought into a small room 
which could be tightly closed to prevent any very decided fall 
in temperature. The weather was intensely hot at this time, 
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