THE ECONOMIC VALURE OF ALLIGATORS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 4 August 1891, Page 4

THE ECONOMIC VALURE OF ALLIGATORS.

„ ' Mbsi- people are aptto jregard. the, alliga- ' tor as v ierocious lieptile* to be shunned on every' j«{ssjbl(t--t|cci>w<>n; = and -of no use or value. \\lVjvitsveri 'nie"UHvmeßß and. some' .grilles: pi ilindooß, liowevoiv take a different view, and ao Iftr Irojn hhunning the alligator it is.tjie lajiijr tlmt, .is becoming, shy]JnUfii]y, 'since Hie demand for hides has increased, aljignlors have been hunted with I j.-it-at ptisi^ency, and in some parts have | .'.lietuly, jiliitoßt been exterminated. But [■■ •Jfififi' ljeimc the fashion for purses, bags,' fcli|>persi nnd other articles made from.reptUcs 1 skins sprung up the creatures were I. unfed by, [adventurous 'Burmese and: Kiuh.os Jor Iheir teeth. These, which are- . i'ound, \vhile and , conical,, : and as long as : two joiiifs of an average' finger, have long . [1 p,f!> jjj ;t!eumnd for ornaments.' Mounted 'v.iih »ojil" or; silver' they are employed as teething liabies to play with, or , f'niveji jiUn ft variety of forms, such as v. liisi \i>»\ 1 .'tttlonß. and capa, handles. Among (. liinefsuj dhiMstd alligators 1 ' teeth are in ■ I K-jit^leiiifmd, and as much as a dollar a , \\ecti isipaid by them for fine;teeth; which . 1 •'>*> n ifiioiii to r powder and administered as ■ odiiiif, Ptit the con?rnerpial products yielded i clo' not end with! its hide and , A Wl]i. r<?r the tail and musk pod are i also found to! becdf great, service. The Jail of an. 'iilli&firoV! twelve feet long on boiling ffurr r ■, !i)ij>hes fijom fifty to seventy pints of excellent ., dil,' 'which is chiefly'u'sed for lighting,' ' Utilcugh rjiuch of it is also administered as a "lncdicine. >.lt vjiag : a/ High Reputation. as: a remedy ifor rheumatism, being given both. . inwardly and outwardly, but it is also lecnmnuji'ded for the. cure, pf. a large variety of diseases. • Alligators 'atld "crocodiles r possess -four musk glands, two situated- in' ' }.|M|ji-Qiii =and two/in the tliroat,.:alitjtle ; in: iirvaijte'of the fore legs, and these are. nuich prized. by the Avab. women,, who wear' ' L iheni striin'glike bidadk upb ! n a-inbcklace; ' '; ; i