. Annual report - New York Zoological Society. Zoology. ELEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT. 149. HEAD OF FLORIDA CROCODILE. Many alligators never attain a length of much over seven or eight feet. These are stunted individuals that have had the mis- fortune to take up their abode in localities wherein food had become scarce, or presented little variety. Sometimes we find localities where there exist whole colonies made up of stunted members. It is possible to retard the growth of captive speci- mens by feeding them raw beef only, or a diet composed entirely of small fish, and excluding whole, warm-blooded
. Annual report - New York Zoological Society. Zoology. ELEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT. 149. HEAD OF FLORIDA CROCODILE. Many alligators never attain a length of much over seven or eight feet. These are stunted individuals that have had the mis- fortune to take up their abode in localities wherein food had become scarce, or presented little variety. Sometimes we find localities where there exist whole colonies made up of stunted members. It is possible to retard the growth of captive speci- mens by feeding them raw beef only, or a diet composed entirely of small fish, and excluding whole, warm-blooded prey, with its attendant bone nourishment. If the process is continued for several years' time with a specimen about half grown, and then a miscellaneous and wholesome diet is substituted, the reptile will grow but little afterward and perhaps not at all, although it may become sexually mature and vigorous, and breed regularly. Like all crocodilians, the alligator constructs a regular nest by heaping up a great mound of twigs, dead grass and rushes, to- gether with fallen masses of the familiar hanging moss. The eggs, to a considerable number, are deposited well to the bottom of this mound, where the heat generated by the decomposing vegetation produces their development. The period of incubation appears to be lengthy, taking at least eight weeks. There is ap- parent variation in the egg-laying period. In Hampton County, South Carolina, the writer collected alligator eggs during the middle of August. The eggs collected at that time hatched during the following October. Through the courtesy of Dr. Albert M. Reese, of Svracuse University, however, the writer has. Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original New York Zoological Society. New York, The Society
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectzoology, bookyear1906
