The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-09
GOOD WORDS FOR
 THE ALLIGATOR Science Finds Him to Be Good
 Citizen KIND ALMOST WIPED OUT Little Evidence Back of Those Old Scandals About His Appetite, But His Hide Is Valuable
 Commercially.
KIND ALMOST WIPED OUT
From the Omaha Bee.


 A visitor to that part of the south below North Carolina could see alliga- tors in almost every stream and bayou 20 years ago, but now one may ire quently spend months travelling through this region and not see & single alliga- tor except tn ose in captivity. The kill ing of the creatures for sport or for their hides has been the main cause of their great decrease in numbers In addition, thousands of the young have been killed shipped away, while enormous numbers of the eggs have been gathered and sold as curios.
 It was not until about 1855 that the demand for alligator leather became of importance The market was not long continued In 1889 fashion again called for the leather for manufactur- ing into fancy slippers travelling bags, belts, card cases. music rolls, etc. The demand has continued to the present and many thousands of the animals have been killed, while the preparation of the skins has given employment to hundreds of people.
 The output of the tanneries of this country approximates 275,00O skins an- nually, worth about $425, 1000. part of which come from Mexico and Central America. It is estimated that about 3,S00,000 ali1gators were killed in Flor ida alone between 1880 and 1909, nearly 20,000 being killed in 1908.
 Once Very Abundant.
 The earliest settlers in the southern states found alligators. or as they were then called. crocodiles, exceedingly abundant in almost all streams, espe- cially in Florida and Louisiana. Many marvellous tales are found in the early chronicles of the ravages of these mon sters. They were said to eat dogs and pigs and to consider the negro an espe- cially succuent tidb it. while it was con- sidered dangerous to go into streams where they were known to exist. When such a stream had to be crossed hours were spent sometimes in beating 1t to frighten off the alligators.
 The researches of scientists have shown that there is very slight founda- tion for such stories, and 1t is probable that the greater number of the pigs lost by the planters could have been traced to other enemies particularly two-footed ones, while runaway slaves would naturally encourage the belief that alligators had dined off them.
 The greater part of the supply of alli- gator leather now comes from Florida and owing to excessive hunting the industry is profitable only in the central part of the peninsula, in which is called the Lake Okeechobec region, and in the Ever glades Here the principal hunters are Seminole Indians who have their homes on hummocks far back in the Everglades, and come to the settlements only when in need of articles which they cannot produce themselves.
 Gators Most Active At Night.
 The alligator is most active at night, and its days are usually spent lying on some low bank or log overhanging the water, where it can enjoy the warmth of the sun and be able to retreat to its native element at the first sign of dan ger. While land alligators are very clumsy, in the water they are exceeding ly active, and being strong swimmers are able to catch the larger fish with but lit. tie trouble. For animals like the musk rat and otter swimming across lagoons they are always on the watch.
 On seizing it's prey the alligator sinks with 1t to the bottom and there remains until all struggling has ceased; it is then able with less trouble to tear into pieces. While thus submerged peculiar collar at the base of the tongue prevents the water from passing into its lungs.
 While the alligator is said to make very 6IeCllVo use or US tall In Warrare the widely disseminated story that it uses it's tail to sweep animals off the banks into its jaws appears to have but slight foun- dation.
 The mother alligator in April or May seeks sheltered spot on a 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 lays 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 9 to 60 eggs The eggs are matched out by the sum-
 Papa Alligator a CannibaI.
 As soon as they have clipped the shell the baby alligators are led to the water by the mother. who provides them with food. which she disgorges. Papa Alligator has to be carefully watched at this time. for he highly esteems dinner of young saurians and is not particular whether they are his own or his neighbours children When by strategy or downright fighting the mother has got her family safely into their nat ural element it is not long before the young scatter each to begin life on his own hook At this period they form a favorite food for turtles and the larger fishes.
 When fully grown the alligator is about 16 feet in length In the adult stage it is gfeenish black above, having lost the yellowish color bands that belong to its earlier years Hunters say that al