New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-05
TRAITS OF THE ALLIGATOR
THE NEST OF TIE FEMALE HABITS
OF FEEDING.
OF FEEDING.

John Mortimer Murphy in The Popular Science
News
The alligator is rapidly disappearing in the
settled regions Of Florida, and becoming scarcer
every day even IN suuE remote regions as the
Everglades. owing ofhe war Of determination
wagcd against II by nide hunters. taNidcrmists
aud dealers IN curiosities. These PURSE 1t night
and day year IN and year ont. The little
nugcrliugs Just the most are IN great
demand a th,. are worth from ~ 20 50 per
bundled IN thc local markets. The 'cuiio' deal.
'gs who purchase them often rcs"ll them al -
'a'n - N'itI.in 'isitols. or else IN y kIl anu
stun them into card plates cisar-holdets, or
whatever else their fancy suggests. and dispose
G! them AT good Triccs. III" young are ire
qucntly lurcd from their lurking places 10y II
poor imitation f the EruntS e their mother
ana men expert in mmcking her may capture
larG" number IN day as th'' respond
promptly 10 the calls. and pour out 81 cavities
ia hot hast" To- see thu caller TIE most expert
gator callers" ever knew were swamp rang
ors. both white and black who were born and
bred within \ short distance OF an alligator
swamp. and therefore knew every intOnatOn
Of the saurltn's voice. These men could make
matron charge wildly at them across a broad
stream 10y initiating the frightened cries of her
young or lur" 4 d.crcpit old bull by wmckinS
the gruuts II the female. They could IN fact
dcludc both oli and young, and often earned
good sums by their art
The believing season" begins IN May and
lasts until the middle II July. and during that
time The minated bulls make nigh: hideous.
In lighting each other they use Jaw and tail
with the utmost fury. They must deliver *.
cccdingly heavy blows with tho latter. for the
sounds can be heard at a considcrabl, distance.
When one gets good mouth hold on The other
ii clings like bulldog but as the body armor
is generally tooth proof except in special places.
little damage can he done even in protracted
conflict As the reptiles can only deliver blows
AT objects little 10 one side OF the head il is
amusing to see them try to get directly in front
Of each other. and make circular sweeps with
the tail in the blind hope that some may prove
effective. have known them TO fight FOR hours.
at intervals, With great fury and have again
see huge bull retreat In most democrat ized
manner after receiving few blows. II they
Tight In the water they can apparently sustain
il for days, II evenly matched. because they
seldom retreat. and seem 10 stop only because
they are tired 81 thrashng the fluid.
When the female is ready to lay her eggs she
rctires 10 some secluded wet or swampy place
and builds out OF mud. decayed vegetation and
rushcs. n nest two feet or three feet high and
having n large, firm base. II she builds on tide
water she carries her nest further back (some
years more than others) as II she knew when
est part Of IL IL that, n rule, high nests and
high tides" 20 together. This would seem TO
Imply prophetic instinct and some strangers
and alligator hunters think she possesses II I'm
an unusual degree. The receptacle for the eggs
Is deep and spacious and well made She lays
from twenty to one hundred eggs In this usually
In July, covering them with light loose material
to give the young. when Matched plenty Of
room, and makes the upper part solid by beat
times, to trample II down She frequently walks
over IT while the eggs arc incubatng in order
to keep It packed, for II Il became loose the
5ain would enter and prevent the eggs from
Matching.
II usually takes sixty dAy1 tns the young 10