great relish. At one time a small canine came too near the mouth
of our alligator (_mountain alligator_, we call them), when it
instantly caught the pup by the under jaw and held on as only it
could (they have a powerful jaw), nor would it release its hold
until choked near to death, which was done by taking it behind the
bony framework of the head, between the thumb and finger, and
pressing hard. The pup did considerable howling for half an hour,
by which time the jaw was much swollen, remaining so for two or
three days, after which it was all right again. By this I could
only conclude that the animal was but slightly poisonous. I never
knew of a human being having been bitten by one. My sister kept
one about the house for several weeks, and fed it from her hands
and with a spoon. The specimens have generally been sent (through
the Deseret Museum) to colleges and museums in the East.

"The Indians have a great fear that these animals produce at will
good or bad weather, and will not molest them. Many times they
have come to see them, and told us that we should let them go or
they would talk to the storm spirit and send wind and water and
fire upon us. An old Indian I once talked with told me of another
who was bitten on the hand, and said it swelled up the arm badly,
but he recovered. From some reason we never find specimens less
than 12 or 14 inches long, I never saw a young one. There is a
nice stuffed specimen, 18 inches long, in our museum here."

Sir John Lubbock's specimen, shown in the engraving herewith, for
which we are indebted to the London _Field_, is about 19 inches in
length. Its general color is a creamy buff, with dark brown markings.
The forepart of the head and muzzle is entirely dark, the upper eyelid
being indicated by a light stripe. The entire body is covered with