Instances have been known of alligators having had their brains blown out by a shot, and yet for hours after they would give battle to any one who might approach them.

Their brain, like that of all reptiles, is exceedingly small--proving them lower in the scale of intelligence than birds and mammals." "But, Lucien, you tell us that the habits of the crocodile family are alike, or nearly so: how comes it that the African crocodiles are so much more fierce, as we have heard, often attacking and devouring the natives of Senegal and the Upper Nile?
Our alligators are not so.

It is true they sometimes bite the legs of our negroes; and we have heard also of some boys who have been killed by them; but this was when through negligence they came in the animals' way.

They do not attack one if they are left alone.

We, for instance, are not a bit afraid to approach them with only a stick in our hands." "That is, because we feel certain they are too clumsy on land to get at us, as we can easily leap out of the reach of their tails and jaws.