192 ALLIGATOR. 



the river above mentioned, where the common 

 Crocodiles are also found in considerable num- 

 bers. 



ALLIGATOR. 



Lacerta Alligator. L. capite imbricafo piano, nucha nuda, cauda 

 superne binis lineis lateralibus aspera. Lin. Syst. Nat. GmeL 

 p. 1058. Blum. Naturg. p. 263. 



Lizard with flat, imbricated head, naked or uncarinated neck^ 

 and tail furnished above with two rising lateral lines. 



Crocodilus Americanus. Laur. Amph. p. 54. 



Jacare. Marcgr. Bras. 242. 



Crocolilus. Sloa?i. Ja?n. 2. p. 332. 



Lacertus maximus. Catesb. 2. t. 63. 



The Alligator, or American Crocodile. 



So very great is the general resemblance be- 

 tween this animal and the Crocodile, that many 

 naturalists have been strongly inclined to consider 

 it as a mere variety, rather than a distinct species. 

 Among others, the Count de Cepede is of this 

 opinion, and declares that on examining several 

 specimens of American Crocodiles, and collating 

 them with those of the Nile, he could not but 

 consider them as absolutely of the same species ; 

 and that the slight differences observable between 

 them may be well supposed to be owing merely to 

 the effect of climate. Both animals, he observes, 

 agree in the number of teeth ; and the general 

 manners and habits of both are found to be similar 

 in the old and new continent. The more accurate 



