The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1890-10-09
TRADE In ALlIGATORS.
How Many Florida Negroes Pick
UP Spending Money.
Tho Crocodilean Of the southern Stat
Of Our Republic-Whercin He Diners
from the Crocodilc-'Gator Flesh
Not Considered . Dellcacy.


M nt
To gain ones daily bread by means Of
alligators must be at all times fairly
preoarious method Of existence, and
vet, says Harper's Weekly, the colored
man in Florida does manage to pick up
many an honest penny by means Of the
American saurian. The taxidermist
finds, too, in the alligator his oppor-
tunity; and though ten-foot gator
never can be very desirable, even when
stuffed, little gators properly prepared
and mounted are in good demand, and
are brought home in quantity by the
Northern tourist.
We need not find fault with nature,
and tax her with having slighted us in
the crocodileans. If in India there is
the gavial, in Egypt there is the croco.
dile, and in America the alligator and
the cayman. 1t can hardly be ques-
toned but that we have on this con-
tinent both the crocodile and the al
ligator. The main point of difference,
according to Mr.. Hornaday, between
the crocodile and the alligator is as fol-
lows: "A crocodile Is distinguished by
triangular head, of which the snout is
the apex, narrow muzzle and canine
teeth in the lower jaw which pass
freely upward in the notches in the side
OF the upper; whereas the alligator
(also cayman n or sacare) has broad,
fat muzzle, and the canine teeth of the
lower jaw fit into sockets in the under
surface of the upper jaw"
The business of collecting the skins
of alligators has already somewhat
diminished the quantity Of these sau-
rians in certain parts of Florida, but
they are still to be found in large num-
bers further inland. 1t is barely sup
possible that alligators ever will become
extinct in Florida while those vast in
terror lakes and swamps exist. A visit
paid by naturalist this year to Flor
ida was convincing that alligators were
still very abundant. To kill an ALI
gator, however, is by no means as diff
fcult as to secure him.
The gators bas;s in the sun on the
long stretches of sand, but they are
never quite asleep. They always seem
to be on their guard, and repose, never
very far from the water, with their
heads pointing in tno direction of
fight.
Gathering eggs requires some skill,
because the saurian mother has clever
way OF hiding her trail. Sometimes as
many as forty eggs are found in a nest
few inches below the level. 1t is not
the invariable habit of the mother to
pack into the nest decayed vegetable
matter in order to add to the heat.
l. 4 t.
ficient.
The eggs have slight musky flavor,
and an experiment once made with an
omelet of alligator eggs suffices. To eat
gator is unknown, and endeavors in
this direction have never been repeat
ed. Mr.. Hornaday tells, however, of
having eaten the South American vari-
ETY., where the feed was fish, and he de-
clares "that the flesh was white, ten
der, free from all disagreeable musky
odors, and toothsome as the incest roast
veal"
1t is with a due consideration of the
size of the alligator as to whether you will
take seat on him or not His jaws are
not SO much to be dreaded as lash OF
his tail.
SKY, mass! you no wantee fres' gator
dis mornin?" is about the cry Of the
vender of baby alligators in Jacksonville
as he plunges his hand into bucket
swung on one arm, and hauls out little
ugly, squirming, swapping monster.
These little gators may have been
found by their owner just emerging
from their nests, or he may have se-
cured them as eggs and Matched them
out himself.
An alligator is queer pet, and to
tame an adult seems to be quite impos-
sible. II intelligence is proportioned
to bulk OF brain, that Of the alligator Ia
especially small. In dissecting large
sized alligator the brain substance will
barely fill an egg-cup. We are not to
look upon gator as capable Of any at
tachments. When young latter having
had some of their teeth drawn) they are
occasionally seen about houses. Hie
There are q few native taxidermists
in Florida who devote portion of their
time to the preparation of specimens,
and notably of little alligators. Gem
orally, however, some one in the line Of
business who lives in a Northern city
goes to Florida for the winter for his
health, and carries out his calling by