The Julesburg grit-advocate. (Julesburg, Colo.) 1907-1972, 1910-06-09

food they love better than newly
patched gator. The hunter takes a
long. slender pole and lets one end of
1t down very quietly into the water.
The other end he places between his
teeth and initiates the grunt of the
baby gators. The old fellows easily
hear the call and come up to feast
on the babies they think are there.
In catching them alive, hunters fire.
quently lasso them while asleep on the
bank or on . log. When asleep in
their holes In the mud they are occa-
sionally drawn out by means of an
iron hook. These holes are easily
found. Sometimes the grass 10 set
afire and the animals lassosd a. they
seek the water.
Alligators three fest and more in
length are generally killed at once and
the hide removed. All Of the hide q.
cspt the ridge Of the back. which 10
very bony, 10 used. The hide 10 saltsd.
and 10 then In condition for sale to
the buyers, who are usually storskesp-
srs, who furnish provisions and am.
munition in sxchanss.
The hides range In value to the
hunter from 20 esnts for Q thrss-foot
hide to ll.26 for Q hide seven feet or
more or In length. The I'VE and SIX.
foot hides are the most desirable. %
the larger hides have q hard piece Of
bone In the square checks on the hide.
and 1t is impossible to sew through
this. Nearly all Of the tanning 10
done at Newark. N. J.
Young alligators are often brought
in. and these are worth about eight
cents apiece. The eggs are also gath.
cred. and sell for ~ cents each. They
are mainly sold to curio dealers. who
either hatch them out or blow them
and sell the shells. Most Of the small
alligator are stuffed and sold 90
curios to tourists. who pay from 80
csAts to two dollars Apiece for them.
Many Of them used to b. shipped
north alive by tourists a presents.
Owing to ignorancs % to how the ami.
nal sAoY|d be cared for. many Of these
sooa dle4.
Il PROPERLY cared for. the young alli-
gator viii thrive even In unnatural
circumstances. lts main RECRUITMENT
70 0a@clsot heat. Its diet should con.
sist q bits Of fresh meat, insects and
worms. They often show great fond
mess Tor the ordinary earthworms, and
Will frequently refuse all food but
these. The larger specimens in CAP
tivity are fed about three times
week On fresh meat or small live anil
mals. and they require little attention
other than this.
Alligators' teeth. which are secured
BY burying the head until they have
rotted out. are of fine ivory and val
Jed for carving into ornaments. They
are worth to the hunter. about two dol
lars . pound-from nifty to ssventy-hve
teeth. The dealers will not buy very
many Of them. a. there 10 q limited
demand. At one time. the paws were
saved and mounted as curios. but It 10
impossible to do anything with them
now.
Both flesh and eggs are eaten by
few persons; but 1t requires . very
hardy stomach to stand the disagree.
able, musky odor. There 10 nothing
better, hunters declare. than the tip
Of the tail Of an alligator which has
reached. say. the pullet period. 1t is
creamy in color. tasting little like
frogs legs. but with more pro-
gamy favor. 1uicy-altogether
Alligator tails are best at the time
Of the rice bird season. The big ALI.
gators float In the water with only
their eyes showing. When an alliga-
tor gets near flock Of these fat. Juicy
little birds, it dives to the bottom.
Its long wide snout scoops up some
Of the loan, and 1t floats to the cur
face again with Just the rich soil show.
ing. n
The birds think 1t 10 an island. They
alight on 1t. When the whole family Is
there, the big beast turns suddenly.
Just as the birds scramble of the al
iigator opens Its mouth once. They
are gone.
The birds are neat little feeders,
and the alligator is an epicure at this
time Of the year. The rice-bird diet
makes the tip Of its tail tender and
sweet.
1t will probably be news to many
that Florida has representative of
the crocodile family. This animal was
first supposed to be confined to the
West indies and South America, but 1t
has been occasionally captured on the
peninsula Of Florida. 1t IL easily dis.
from the alligator by its
narrow snout. For many years sci
entists were skepti .al of reports from
Florida Of the appearance Of this ami
NAL in that state. but the capture Of
several fine specimens In recent Year,
has settled all doubt