As soon as the young ones have learned a little sense, if I may so speak, they elude their monster fathers and uncles, as they are nimbler in their movements, and can keep out of reach of their great jaws and tails.

I have often seen the small alligators riding upon the backs of the larger ones, knowing that the latter could not reach them in that situation." "They appear to eat anything that comes in their way," remarked Francois.
"They are not very particular as to that.

Fish is their favourite food, I believe, but they will eat any land animal they can kill; and it is believed they prefer it in a state of putrefaction.

That is a doubtful point.

They have been known to kill large animals in the water, and leave them at the bottom for several days; but this may have happened because they were not hungry at the time, and were merely keeping them until they should get an appetite.