A TAME ALLIGATOR. 337

resided tor nine years in the American States, where he
superintended the execution of some extensive works for the
American government. One of these works consisted in the
erection of a beacon in a swamp in one of the rivers, where
he caught a young alligator. This animal he made so per-
fectly tame, that it followed him about the house like a
dog, scrambling up the stairs after him, and showing much
affection and docility. Its great favourite, however, was a
cat, and the friendship was mutual. When the cat was
reposing herself before the fire (this was at New York), the
alligator would lay himself down, place his head upon the
cat, and in this attitude go to sleep. If the cat was absent,
the alligator was restless; but he always appeared happy
when the cat was near him. The only instance in which
he showed any ferocity was in attacking a fox, which was
tied up in the yard. Probably, however, the fox resented
some playful advances, which the other had made, and thus
called forth the anger of the alligator. In attacking the fox
he did not make use of his mouth, but beat him with so
much severity with his tail, that had not the chain which con-
fined the fox broken, he would probably have killed him.
The alligator was fed on raw flesh, and sometimes with milk,
for which he showed great fondness. In cold weather he was
shut up in a box, with wool in it; but having been forgotten
one frosty night, he was found dead in the morning.”’
ORDER IIL. Order III consists of a large reptile belong-:
Hattoria ing to New Zealand which for anatomical rea-
Punctata. sons cannot be classed either with the Croco-
diles or the Lizards. It is rare if not almost extinct, but a
specimen may be seen in the Natural History Museum.
ORDER IV. The lizards form an exceedingly numerous
The Lizards. order, There are many hundreds of different
species, large and small, of which we can only refer to the
Chameleon, the Iguana, the common Lizard, and the Monitor,
The Chameleon. The Chameleon Family belongs to Africa,
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