The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-07-22
Natural History-Modern.

For hundreds of years the wise men OF
the world vainly tried to find out what ALI.
gators were made for. Some supposed
they were parlor ornament on legs; others
contended that their mission was to tow
sawlogs up and down; and many persons
firmly believed that the reptile had no other
aim In life than to get hold of a runaway
Dutchman. We shall divide the alligator
into several sections, in order to study its
different points. The head comes first. 1t
is one part head and two parts mouth, this
chap being the only living thing that can
open his mouth as far as he wants to, and
then have lots of spare mouth loft. The
Jaws are built on the sawmill principle.
While one is working the other is resting
and getting ready for soft snap. No one
ever experimental to see just how strong
an alligator was In his jaws, but when they
have been seen to crunch the end off 50 W.
log, and bend crow-bar double, you may
take 1t for granted that small boys shoul-
der-blades wouldn't stop their teeth very
long. Their teeth are numerous and made
on honor. They not only use them to pick
up tender infants lost overheard, but to haul
prosy old spotted COWS off the river bank
and put them beyond further pain and sor-
row. When an alligator gets fair hold of
you there Is only one thing to do-call for
the police. In the head are the eyes They
could not grow in better place to please
the reptile. They are 80 set that he can sec
before and behind him, and there is no
danger of their getting blacked IN free
light. If the eyes took up more room there
wouldn't be 80 much mouth; therefore the
eyes are no larger than those of dog. The
legs of an alligator are short and stout, it
not being supposed that he would ever par
ticipate In walking match. Ho uses
them with equal facility on land or water,
and but very few cork-legs have ever been
seen In use among them. It might have
been just as we'll had these reptiles been
built on the principle of the camel or the
gira1e, but we must not complain of Ma
ture's ways. The Lody and tail are cover
ed with an extra roof to protect the alliga-
tor from bailstones and brick-bats. and it's
no use to shoot beans at him from the top
OF high bank. 1t has been asserted that
bullet cannot penetrate this thick skin,
put II you ever get sight of one OF the gen.
try pop your bullet at him from any point
nf the compass. If they don't kill him
they will certainly cause sorrowful thoughts,
and perhaps lead to resolution to reform.
The tail ls firmly fastened to the body, and
10 ooVh oAboihcHtdl duu useful. lnC Q2Y
may not be far distant when we shall walk
down to tho placid waters at evening-time
to gaze on race of bob tailed alligators,
but just at present they have lots of use for
these pieces of personal property. 1t Is
said that they can knock a man end over
end with one sweep of the tail, but they
are seldom mean enough to do it. Alliga-
tors eat most everything which comes in
their way and make no complaints. No
landlady would have the least trouble with
them. They like uaoh othcr'a. society, but
prefer to put In any spare time they have in
the company of such men as they can Law
hold of. Their habits are very regular:
their conduct all that can be expected, and
they stick to business till the pond dries
up. AS general rule if you are up in
tree and the alligator is in pond he is not
inclined to meddle with your affairs, but
you can rouse his curiosity and his beliiger-
ent disposition very quickly by dropping
down and trying to use him as ferry boat.
lie no doubt gets along just as well as if he
had been clam or an oyster, and don't
you put faith in any historian who tries to
make you believe that the reptile signs for
any change beyond that of diet.