CHAPTER


 INSECTS AND REPTILES.

 BECAUSE Florida is a semi-tropical region, it is quite
generally the opinion of people in other regions that -it is


the natural home of
sonous, troublesome
crawl, or fly. Such
warm climes, and th
cal region, at once
vampires, and fleas
people entertain a v
haps firmly believe 1
summer is all but
another of the man
current among those


all kinds and varieties of hideous, poi-
reptiles, insects, and bugs," that creep,
pests are always supposed to dwell in
ie name of India, Mexico, or any tropi-
 suggests tarantulas, boa-constrictors,
; and doubtless the great majority of
ery similar opinion of Florida, and per-
that on this account human life in mid-
intolerable there. Such an opinion is
y erroneous ones about Florida that are
e who have not seen for themselves. It


is a wrong belief, and will require but a short chapter to
refute it.
 Alligators exist in all portions of the State where there
are any marshy, wet, swampy jungles or lakes; but they
are not a pest, they are quite cowardly, and the largest of
them will run from a child of six years, unless actually cor-
nered, or cut off from their retreat in the nearest water.
The exception, of an alligator attacking any one, is as rare
as the runaways of an old family horse. It may happen,
bute as a matter of fact very rarely does happen. Instead
of a danger, they are merely an object of curiosity to all
residents and visitors.
 These great reptiles propagate their species from eggs,