. Animate creation : popular edition of "Our living world" : a natural history. Zoology; Zoology. 36 THE COMMON ALLIGATOR. most reptiles as long as tlieir passions are not touched, the AUigator has within it a very mine of furious rage, which, when aroused, knows no fear. Urged by a blind instinct that sees no obstacles, and hardly deserves so intellectual a name as anger, it flings itself upon the assail- ants, and only ceases its attack as its last breath is drawn. No easy matter is it to drive the breath out of an Alligator, for its life seems to take a separate hold of every fibr
. Animate creation : popular edition of "Our living world" : a natural history. Zoology; Zoology. 36 THE COMMON ALLIGATOR. most reptiles as long as tlieir passions are not touched, the AUigator has within it a very mine of furious rage, which, when aroused, knows no fear. Urged by a blind instinct that sees no obstacles, and hardly deserves so intellectual a name as anger, it flings itself upon the assail- ants, and only ceases its attack as its last breath is drawn. No easy matter is it to drive the breath out of an Alligator, for its life seems to take a separate hold of every fibre in the creature's body, and though pierced through and through with bullets, crushed by lieavy blows, and its body converted into a very j)in-cushion, spears taking the place of the pins, it writhes and twists, and struggles with wondrous strength, snapping direfully with its huge jaws, and lashing its muscular tail from side to side with such vigor that it takes a bold man to venture within range of that terrible ALLIGATOR.—jd/Zz^ator mi^simpiensis. It is fortunate for the assailant that its head is not gifted with mobility equal to tliat of the tail. The Alligator can only turn its head very slightly indeed, on account of two bony projections, one on each side of the head, which are efficient obstacles to any but the smallest lateral motion. The antagonist may therefore easily escape if on land, by springing aside before the reptile can turn. He nuist, however, beware of its tail, for the Alligator when angry, sweeps right and left with that powerful member, and deals the most destructive blows with wonderful rapidity. Still, the creature would rather avoid than seelv a combat, and does not act in this fashion until driven to despair. In some parts of America they catch the Alligator in a very ingenious manner. An ordi- nary hook is said to be of little service against such a quarry, and the natives employ a kind of mixture between a hook and grapnel which very e
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Keywords: ., bookauthorbr, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectzoology
