The examiner., 1882-03-11
FLORIDA ALLEGATIONS.
Their Food, Their IEnbits and Their CoM-
 mcrciuI Value.

merciul Value. |
 The alligators are mostly of the red eyed species, which are noted for their size and ferocity, and when met on land are not much disposed to turn out of their course for anything; so that not many people care to meet them in their rambles. An immense fellow who lay about 200 yards from the shore al- lowed us to paddle within 100 feet of him, so that had fine view of his was fully two feet from his nostrils to his eyes, and he must have been nearly or quite twelve feet long. As we ap- preached nearer he settled slowly out of sight, sinking so easily as not to cause of the waters, as he disappeared.
 It seems that these strange creatures are almost as much at home on land as in the water, and, contrary to my pre- vious understanding of their habits, they are frequently found mile from any body of water, especially at night, when they wander about from one pond or lake to another. They are very de- structive of stock, and are especially fond of hogs, and as all stock runs at large in this country, they catch great numbers of them. Calves and year lings are also favorite diet of these monsters, and even full-grown COWS and steers are frequently pulled into the lake by them and devoured. When ever you see bob tailed COW in Flor ida, which is not infrequently the case near the numerous lakes and ponds, it is safe to presume that she has been wrestling with an alligator, and would,
 if she could, 's a tale unfold" g.. A gentleman living about two miles from Lochloosa lake told me that on one occasion he was driving lot of cattle across 8 stream that empties into it, when all at once they began running and believing. Running forward he saw an immense alligator had seized a fine yearling, not by the tail but by the body, being SO large that he had actu- ally grasped the yearling's body in his mouth, as pig would an ear of corn. And although he could not of course raise it from the ground, he did by his weight and the strength of his huge jaws crush it to the earth. The owner of the cattle tried to make the gator let go by striking him over the head with his cow-whip. Failing in this he rode rapidly back for his gun and was followed on his return by his dog. By this time the 'gator had released his hold, and the yearling lay in the road nearly dead. Riding up within twenty feet, the gentleman discharged | 8 heavy load of buckshot at the alliga- tors head, which only served to infu- riate the brute, and he at once made a rush at the dog. Thereupon the gentle, man approached until sshe could almost touch the gator with the muzzle of his gun and discharged the other barrel at point just back of the shoulder, causing the animal to retreat into the bushes, and he was found next morning on the shore of the lake stiff and dead. He measured fifteen feet in length.
 Alllgators are being hunted very extensively of late for their teeth and hides. Their teeth are mounted with gold and made into earrings, necklaces, watch charms, etc., and are worth from one to five dollars per pound. The hides are worth dollar to dollar and half each, green. Over 400 have been killed in Lochloosa lake alone. Fire hunting at | night Is the most successful mode of | capturing them, if not the safest. Two men and 8 boat are required, One pad dies while the other has an immense bull's-eye lantern fastened on top of his head, the light of which attracts the | alligators to the surface and blinds them so that the boat can be run right against them. Then the man with the light thrusts the muzzle of heavy caliber rife within six inches of the creatures head and fires, immediately proceeding to haul him aboard, to which effort the 'gater lends what strength he may have left; his great desire on being nor ally hurt is to get out of the water. And if one feels the boat after being shot. he will attempt to climb in himself if not entirely dead. A native alligator hunter whom met on the shore of the lake yester- day told me that he had seen as many as eighty gators at one time during one of these night hunts, and that he could hear and feel their noses "plump !" against his boat as they swan rapidly toward the light, their eyes being too much dazzled to distinguish the boat until they ran against it. On coming so abruptly in contact with the boats sides theyWould back off little dis tance to investigate Bufato Courier.