Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-07-25
ALLIGATOR HUNTING
REPTILES NOT so DANGEROUS AS
GENERALLY BELIEVED.
Crocodiles Also Have Now Been Found
in Florida Waters-Distingui
by Marrow Shout.
From the Philadelphia Ledger.

From the Philadel phia Ledger.
The earliest settlers in the southern states
found the alligator. or, as 1t was then
called. the crocodile. exceedingly abundant
In almost all streams. especially so In F1or-
ida and Louisiana. Evidence OF Its aoun-
dance Is attested by the fact that 1t ngures
on the coat-of- arms Of the city or New or-
leans. although the figure more nearly re-
sembles a crocodile than an alligator Many
marvellous tales are to be found In the early
chronicles OF the ravages Of these mon
sters. They were said to eat dogs and pigs
and considered the negro an especially sue
culent tidbit. while 1t was dangerous to go
into streams where they were known to ex-
ist and when such stream had TO be
crossed hours We're wasted in beating 1t to
Brighten off the alligators. The researches
of scientists however. have shown that
there Is very slight foundation for the
above tales, and 1T is probable that the
greater part of the pigs lost by the planters
could have been traced to other enemies
particularly two-footed ones. while run
away slaves would naturally encourage the
belief that alligators had dined off them
At the present time the alligator Is be
coming exceedingly scarce, having been al
most exterminated in nearly all the south
ern states with the exception of Florida
and Louisiana. An idea of the extent 10
which these animals have been pursued
Ing to the most reliable data obtainable,
about 3O0O,OO0 were killed in the state OF
Florida alone between 1850 and 1900. Dur
ing 1902 over 25.OU We're killed. The greater
part of the supply now comes from Florida,
and owing to the excessive hunting the IN
dustry is profitable only in the central part
of the peninsula. In what is called the
Okeechobee lake region This Is an I'M
mense region composed principally of many
shallow lakes connected by numerous
streams.
In the Everglades.
As the whole region is quite low. in wet
weather the shores frequently sub
merged for miles in all directions. A por-
ton Of this area is known the Ever
glades. Here the principal hunters are
Seminole Indians, who have their homes on
hummocks far back in the Everglades. and
who only come to the settlements when in
need OF articles which they cannot pro-
duce themselves. These Indians have been
taught caution by their long and bitter ex-
perience with the whites. and 1t Is impossi-
BILE to hire of them to guide a person
to their homes. or to get even the simplest
information from them unless they are we'll
acquainted with their questioner. Many
of these Indians bear quaint and original
names which have been assumed by them
selves or bestowed on them by the whites.
A few of the most peculiar of these are
Billy Bowlegs. Jack Buster. DR.. Jimmie.
John Osceola, Coffee Tiger. Cypress Tiger,
Billy Conapatchee. Miami Jimmp, Tommie
Listen Jack Tigertail. DR.. Tiger, Billy Har-
ney and Frank Jumper.
Perhaps no reptile is better Known to the
average American than the alligator. owing
to its frequent appearance in museums and
In the hands of amateur biologists. but
with all this but little is known Of it's
habits in the wild state.
AS the alligator is most active at nights,
it's days are usually spent lying on some
low bank or log overhangng the water.
where 1t can enjoy the warmth of the sun
and be able to retreat to Its native element
at the first sign of danger. While on land
they are very clumsy. in the water they
are exceedingly active. and being strong
swimmers are able to catch the larger fish
with but slight trouble. For animals like
the muskrat and otter swimming across
lagoons they are always the watch.
On Selling Its prey the animal sinks with
1t to the bottom. and there remains until
all struggling has ceased 1T is then able
with less trouble to tear it in pieces. While
thus submerged a peculiar collar at the
base of the tongue prevents the water from
passing into the lungs. and the alligator
may even come to the surface and breath
without letting go its hold on its prey
While the alligator Is said to make very
elective use of Its tail in warfare the
widely disseminated story that 1t uses its
tall to sweep animals off the banks into its
jaws appears to have but slight foundatI ton
w hen captured the animal proves q most
disagreeable companion 1t ernits a most
unpleasant Odor of musk which Is almost
unbearable.
In the Breeding Season.
In the breeding season alligators are very
noisy and below with thunderlike power
The maternal alligator in April or May
seeks a sheltered spot on bank and there
builds a small mound with a hole In the
center The foundation of this mound is
OF mud and grass. and on these she laws
some eggs. She then covers the eggs with
another stratum Of grass and mud upon
which she deposits some more eggs. Thus
she proceeds until she has laid from TWEEN
ed out by the sun. assisted by the heat
which the decomposition of the vegetable
material of which the nest is composed
generates. AS soon they have "chipped
the she'll the baby allgators are led to the
water by the mother. who provides them
with food. which she dsgorges Papa
Alligator has to be carefully watched at
this time. for he highly esteems a dinner
of young saurfans, and is not particular
whether they his own or his neigh
bors children. When by strategy or down
right fighting the mother has got her fam
lily safely into their natural element IT Ia
not long before the young scatter, each to
begin life on his or her own hook At this
period they form favorite food for turtles
and the larger fishes.